Chapter 67

And then our Lord opened my spiritual eye and shewed me my soul in midst of my heart. I saw the Soul so large as it were an endless world, and as it were a blissful kingdom. And by the conditions that I saw therein I understood that it is a worshipful City. In the midst of that City sitteth our Lord Jesus, God and Man, a fair Person of large stature, highest Bishop, most majestic¹ King, most worshipful Lord; and I saw Him clad majestically.² And worshipfully He sitteth in the Soul, even-right³ in peace and rest. And the Godhead ruleth and sustaineth⁴ heaven and earth and all that is,—sovereign Might, sovereign Wisdom, and sovereign Goodness,—[but] the place that Jesus taketh in our Soul He shall never remove it, without end, as to my sight: for in us is His homliest home and His endless dwelling.⁵

Then our Lord opened my spiritual eye and showed me my soul in the middle of my heart. I saw that my soul was as vast as an endless world, and like a kingdom of bliss. From what I saw there, I understood that the soul is a city worthy of reverence. In the middle of that city sits our Lord Jesus, God and Man. He is a beautiful figure of great stature, the highest Bishop, the most majestic¹ King, and the most worthy Lord. I saw him dressed in majestic clothing.² He sits in the soul in honor, perfectly³ at peace and at rest. The Godhead rules and sustains⁴ heaven and earth and all that exists, with supreme power, wisdom, and goodness. But as I saw it, Jesus will never leave the place he has taken in our soul. For in us is his most familiar home and his endless dwelling.⁵

And in this [sight] He shewed the satisfying that He hath of the making of Man's Soul. For as well as the Father might make a creature, and as well as the Son could make a creature, so well would the Holy Ghost that Man's Soul were made: and so it was done. And therefore the blessed Trinity enjoyeth without end in the making of Man's Soul: for He saw from without beginning what should please Him without end. All thing that He hath made sheweth His Lordship,—as understanding was given at the same time by example of a creature that is to see great treasures and kingdoms belonging to a lord; and when it had seen all the nobleness beneath, then, marvelling, it was moved to seek above to the high place where the lord dwelleth, knowing, by reason, that his dwelling is in the worthiest place. And thus I understood in verity that our Soul may never have rest in things that are beneath itself. And when it cometh above all creatures into the Self, yet may it not abide in the beholding of its Self, but all the beholding is blissfully set in God that is the Maker dwelling therein. For in Man's Soul is His very dwelling; and the highest light and the brightest shining of the City is the glorious love of our Lord, as to my sight.

In this [vision], he showed me the satisfaction he takes in making the human soul. The Father and the Son were each fully able to make a creature. Just as fully, the Holy Spirit willed that the human soul be made. And so it was made. Therefore, the blessed Trinity rejoices without end in making the human soul. For God saw from before the beginning what would please him without end. Everything God has made shows his lordship. At the same time, I was given understanding through an example. A creature sees great treasures and kingdoms belonging to a lord. After seeing all the splendor below, the creature wonders and is moved to look up. It seeks the high place where the lord lives, knowing by reason that his dwelling is in the worthiest place. Thus I understood in truth that our soul can never find rest in things beneath it. When the soul rises above all creatures into its own self, it still cannot remain there, contemplating itself. Instead, its whole gaze rests blissfully on God, its maker, who lives within it. For his true dwelling is in the human soul. And, as I saw it, the highest light and brightest radiance of the City is our Lord’s glorious love.

And what may make us more to enjoy in God than to see in Him that He enjoyeth in the highest of all His works? For I saw in the same Shewing that if the blessed Trinity might have made Man's Soul any better, any fairer, any nobler than it was made, He should not have been full pleased with the making of Man's Soul. And He willeth that our hearts be mightily raised above the deepness of the earth and all vain sorrows, and rejoice⁶ in Him.

What could make us rejoice more in God than seeing that he rejoices most in the greatest of all his works? In the same revelation, I saw that God was fully pleased with the making of the human soul. If the blessed Trinity could have made the soul any better, more beautiful, or nobler, he would not have been fully pleased. He wants our hearts to rise mightily above the depths of the earth and all vain sorrows, and to rejoice⁶ in him.