intent
to
reveal
and
giving
me
knowledge
of
God.
Hence
it
is
called
a
word.
But
what
it
was
remained
hidden
from
me.
That
was
its
stealthy
coming
‘
in
a
whispering
stillness
to
reveal
itself.’
It
is
just
because
it
is
hidden
that
one
is
and
must
be
always
after
it.
It
appears
and
disappears
:
we
are
meant
to
yearn
and
sigh
for
it.
St
Paul
says
we
ought
to
pursue
this
until
wc
espy
it
and
not
stop
until
we
grasp
it.
When
he
returned
after
having
been
caught
up
into
the
third
heaven
where
God
was
made
known
to
him
and
where
he
beheld
all
things,
he
had
forgotten
nothing,
but
it
was
so
deep
down
in
his
ground
that
his
intellect
could
not
reach
it
:
it
was
veiled
from
him.
He
was
therefore
obliged
to
pursue
it
and
search
for
it
in
himself,
not
outside
himself.
It
is
not
outside,
it
is
inside
:
wholly
within.
And
being
convinced
of
this
he
said,
‘
I
am
sure
that
neither
death
nor
any
affliction
can
separate
me
from
what
I
find
within
me.’
There
is
a
fine
saying
of
one
heathen
philosopher
to
another
about
this,
he
says
:
‘
I
am
aware
of
something
in
me
which
sparkles
in
my
intelligence
;
I
clearly
perceive
that
it
is
somewhat
but
xsihat
I
cannot
grasp.
Yet
methinks
if
I
could
only
seize
it
I
should
know
all
tnith.’
To
which
the
other
philosopher
replied
:
‘
Follow
it
boldly
!
for
if
thou
eanst
seize
it
thou
wilt
possess
the
sum-total
of
all
good
and
have
eternal
life
!
’
St
x\ugustine
expresses
himself
in
the
same
sense
:
‘
1
am
conscious
of
something
within
me
that
plays
before
my
soul
and
is
as
a
light
dancing
in
front
of
it
;
were
this
brought
to
steadiness
and
perfection
in
me
it
would
surely
be
eternal
life
!
’
It
hides
yet
it
shows.
It
comes,
but
after
the
manner
of
a
thief,
with
intent
to
take
and
to
steal
all
things
from
the
soul.
13y
emerging
and
showing
itself
somewhat
it
purposes
to
decoy
the
soul
and
draw
it
towards
itself
to
rob
it
and
take
itself
from
it.
As
saith
the
prophet
:
^
Lord
take
from
them
their
spirit
and
give
them
instead
thy
spirit.’
This
too
the
loving
soul
meant
when
she
said
:
‘
My
soul
dissolved
and
melted
away
when
Love
spoke
his
word
;
when
he
entered
I
could
not
but
fail.’
And
Christ
signified
it
by
his
words
:
‘
Whoso-
ever
shall
leave
aught
for
my
sake
shall
be
repaid
an
hundredfold,
and
whosoever
will
possess
me
must
deny
himself
and
all
things
and
whosoever
will
serve
me
must
follow
me
nor
go
any
more
after
his
own.’
Now
peradventure
thou
wilt
say
:
‘
But,
Sir,
you
are
wanting
to
change
the
natural
course
of
the
soul
!
It
is
her
nature
to
take
in
through
the
senses,
in
images.
Would
you
upset
this
arrangement
?
’
No
!
But
how
knowest
thou
what
nobility
God
has
bestowed
on
human
nature,
what
perfections
yet
uncatalogued,
aye
yet
