天堂是一个地方，也是一种境界，它无所不能，没有人能完全描述它，也没有人能说出它的荣耀。神造它为他的居所、是要坐在宝座上、向我们显明美善、使人知道。毫无疑问，为这样一位伟大的国王所造的织物，如果你愿意，一定会使你吃惊的。如果所有的建筑都是为了他们国家的荣耀而建造，哪一个雄辩家，即使是最敏锐的，也能完全表达上天?如果王子建造的宫殿是用泥土建造的，当许多人观看的时候，我们还能对天堂说什么呢?那是至高至圣的地方;那里没有蛀虫，也不能毁坏圣徒在那里享受的美好恩典。为荣耀和安息预备的居所。那里有永恒的建筑，是为祝福预备的，其中的荣耀和美丽，是没有人能用心灵或嘴巴用最深的思想表达出来的，在那一天到来之前，也没有人能表达出来。我们看见天上的天，像一卷书卷，或一件叠起来的衣服，还没有卷起来，我们就叫他进去吃饭。新郎和国王一起，被他领进他的宫室，站在那里，把他的远景展现在我们眼前。 And taste and smell, and be inflam'd, And ravished to see The buildings he hath for us fram'd, How full of heaven they be. Its state also is marvellous, For beauty to behold; All goodness there is plenteous, And better far than gold. Adorn'd with grace and righteousness, While fragrant scents of love O'erflow with everlasting bliss, All that do dwell above. The heavenly majesty, whose face Doth far exceed the sun, Will there cast forth its rays of grace After this world is done. Which rays and beams will so possess All things that there shall dwell, With so much glory, light, and bliss, That none can think or tell. That wisdom which doth order all Shall there be fully shown; That strength that bears the world there shall By every one be known. That holiness and sanctity Which doth all thought surpass, Shall there in present purity Outshine the crystal glass. The beauty and the comeliness Of this Almighty shall Make amiable with lasting bliss Those he thereto shall call. The presence of this God will be Eternal life in all, And health and gladness, while we see Thy face, O immortal! Here will the Lord make clear and plain How sweetly did agree His attributes, when Christ was slain Our Saviour to be. How wisdom did find out the way, How strength did make him stand, How holiness did bear the sway, And answer just demand. How all these attributes did bend Themselves to work our life, Through the Christ whom God did send To save us by his might. All this will sparkle in our eye Within the holy place, And greatly raise our melody, And flow our hearts with grace. The largest thought that can arise Within the widest heart Shall then be filled with surprize, And pleas'd in every part. All mysteries shall here be seen, And every knot, unty'd; Electing love, that hid hath been, Shall shine on every side. The God of glory here will be The life of every one; Whose goodly attributes shall we Possess them as our own. By wisdom we all things shall know, By light all things shall see, By strength, too, all things we shall do, When we in glory be. The Holy Lamb of God, also, Who for our sakes did die, The holy ones of God shall know, And that most perfectly. Those small and short discoveries That we have of him here, Will there be seen with open eyes, In visions full and clear. Those many thousand acts of grace That here we feel and find, Shall there be real with open face Upon his heart most kind. There he will show us how he was Our prophet, priest, and king; And how he did maintain our cause, And us to glory bring. There we shall see how he was touch'd With all our grief and pain (As in his word he hath avouch'd), When we with him shall reign; He'll show us, also, how he did Maintain our faith and love, And why his face sometimes he hid From us, who are his dove; These tempting times that here we have, We there shall see were good; Also that hidden strength he gave, The purchase of his blood. That he should stand for us before His Father, thus we read. But then shall see, and shall adore Him for his gracious deed. Though we are vile, he without shame Before the angels all Lays out his strength, his worth, and name, For us, who are in thrall. This is he who was mock'd and beat, Spit on, and crown