上帝是合理生物的最高利益,享受他是我们灵魂可以得到满足的唯一幸福。完全去天堂享受上帝,比这里最愉快的住宿要好得多。父亲和母亲,丈夫,妻子,孩子或尘世的朋友的陪伴只是阴影。但是上帝的享受是实质。这些只是散落的光束,但上帝是太阳。这些只是溪流,但上帝是喷泉。这些只是掉落的,但上帝是海洋。
(God is the highest good of the reasonable creature, and the enjoyment of him is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.)
Q Quote的本质强调,上帝代表了理性生物的最终善良,只有在与他的关系享受关系时才能找到真正的幸福。经历上帝的存在所带来的实现远远超过了这个世界所能提供的任何乐趣或安慰,包括家庭和社会纽带。尽管这种关系很重要,但它们仅仅是对仅凭上帝才能获得的真正喜悦的思考。
所使用的图像突出了短暂的尘世喜悦与上帝中持久的满足感之间的区别。人生的乐趣与仅仅阴影相提并论,而上帝则比作太阳,这是所有光明和温暖的来源。这种类比进一步说明,尽管人类的联系可能会提供暂时的幸福,但他们不能与与上帝的深刻交流所带来的深刻的欢乐相提并论,上帝被描绘成众多的喜悦海洋,掩盖了所有较小的,短暂的经历。