and more spiritual, than that which it represents, as we know, from universal experience. Since, therefore, we can find no thing created, equally pure and spiritual with God, no resemblance can enable us, perfectly to comprehend the divine essence." [1] Moreover, all created things are circumscribed within certain limits of perfection; but God is circumscribed by no limits, and therefore nothing created can reflect his immensity. The only means, therefore, of arriving at a knowledge of the divine essence, is that God unite himself in some sort to us; and after an incomprehensible manner, elevate our minds to a higher degree of perfection, and thus render us capable of contemplating the beauty of his nature. This the light of his glory will accomplish: illumined by its splendour, we shall see God, the true light, in his own light. [2] The blessed always see God present, and by this greatest and most exalted of gifts, " being made partakers of the divine nature," [3] they enjoy true and solid happiness. Our belief of this truth should therefore be animated by an assured hope of one day arriving, through the divine goodness, at the same happy term; according to these words of the Nicene Creed: " I expect the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come." These are divine truths which defy the powers of human language, and mock the limits of human comprehension. We may, however, trace some re- semblance of this happy change in sensible objects, for as iron, when acted on by fire, becomes ignited, and, whilst it is sub stantially the same, seems changed into fire, which is a different substance; so the blessed, who are admitted into the glory of heaven, and who burn with a love of God, although they cease not to be the same, are yet affected in such a manner, as that they may be said with truth to differ more from the inhabitants of this earth, than iron, when ignited, differs from itself when cold.
To say all in a few words: supreme and absolute happiness, which we call essential, consists in the possession of God; for what can he want to consummate his happiness, who possesses God, the fountain of all good, the fulness of all perfection?
To this happiness, however, are appended certain gifts which are common to all the blessed, and which, because more within the reach of human comprehension, are generally found more effectual in exciting the mind and inflaming the heart. [4] These the Apostle seems to have in view, when, in his epistle to the Romans, he says: " Glory, and honour, and peace, to every one that worketh good." [5] The blessed shall enjoy glory, not only that glory which we have already shown to constitute essential happiness, or to be its inseparable accompaniment; but also that glory which consists in the clear and comprehensive knowledge, which each of the blessed shall have of the singular and exalted dignity of his companions in glory.
