Chapter 44

God shewed in all the Revelations, oftentimes, that man worketh evermore His will and His worship lastingly without any stinting. And what this work is, was shewed in the First, and that in a marvellous example: for it was shewed in the working of the soul of our blissful Lady, Saint Mary: [that is, the working of] Truth and Wisdom.¹ And how [it is done] I hope by the grace of the Holy Ghost I shall tell, as I saw.

Throughout all the revelations, God often showed that we continually do his will and worship him, without ever stopping. He showed what this work is in the first revelation, through a wonderful example. He showed it in the workings of the soul of our blessed Lady, Saint Mary: [the workings of] Truth and Wisdom.¹ And I hope, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, to tell how [this work is done], as I saw it.

Truth seeth God, and Wisdom beholdeth God, and of these two cometh the third: that is, a holy marvellous² delight in God; which is Love. Where Truth and Wisdom are verily, there is Love verily, coming of them both. And all of God's making: for He is endless sovereign Truth, endless sovereign Wisdom, endless sovereign Love, unmade; and man's Soul is a creature in God which hath the same properties made,³ and evermore it doeth that it was made for: it seeth God, it beholdeth God, and it loveth God. Whereof God enjoyeth in the creature; and the creature in God, endlessly marvelling.

Truth sees God, and Wisdom beholds God. From these two comes a third: a holy, wondrous² delight in God, which is Love. Wherever Truth and Wisdom truly are, Love is truly there, arising from them both. And all of this is God’s doing. For he is infinite, supreme Truth, infinite, supreme Wisdom, and infinite, supreme Love, uncreated. The human soul is a creature in God that has these same qualities, but is created.³ It always does what it was made to do: it sees God, it beholds God, and it loves God. In this, God delights in the creature, and the creature delights in God, endlessly filled with wonder.

In which marvelling he seeth his God, his Lord, his Maker so high, so great, and so good, in comparison with him that is made, that scarcely the creature seemeth ought to the self. But the clarity and the clearness of Truth and Wisdom maketh him to see and to bear witness⁴ that he is made for Love: in which God endlessly keepeth him.

In his wonder, he sees that God, his Lord and Maker, is so high, so great, and so good. By comparison, he, a created being, seems scarcely anything to himself. But the brightness and clarity of Truth and Wisdom let him see and bear witness⁴ that he is made for Love. In that Love, God keeps him endlessly.