between the heart and its
many desires and the mind (which for myself I put into three
parts--the intelligence, the will, the reason). Now, all these parts of my
heart and of my mind formerly occupied themselves entirely with
worldly things, passing from one thing to another in most disorderly
fashion; but now they occupy themselves (save for bodily
necessities) _solely_ with Him. There is a perpetual smooth and
beautiful conversation between them _to_ Him and _of_ Him; and
suddenly He will seem to enter into this conversation, suggesting
thoughts which are not mine.

Often He will stab the soul, but not with words, also the heart; and I
have known such communications lie for weeks before they could
be taken up by the mind, turned into words, and finally as _words_
be digested by the reason. And another way to the soul only--rare,
untransferable to words, and therefore not transmittable to others or
to the reason. This way causes the creature a great amazement, and
is like a flooding or moving of whiteness, or an inwardly-felt
phosphorescence; it is a vitalising ministration greatly enjoyed by
the soul. This is not any ecstasy, and is exceedingly swift; the soul
must be at _high attention_ to receive this, yet neither anticipates
nor asks for it, but is in the act of giving great and joyful adoration.

* * *

I do not remember when I first became fully conscious that the
centre or seat of my emotions was changed, and that I now
responded to all the experiences of life only with the higher parts of
me.

This change I found inexplicable and remarkable, for it was
fundamental, and yet neither intended nor thought of by me. With
this alteration in the physical correspondences to life came a
corresponding alteration in the spiritual of me.

Formerly I supposed that the soul dwelt in, or was even a part of, the
mind. Now, though the mind must be filled wholly with God, and all
other things whatsoever put out of it if we would contemplate Him
or respond to Him, yet neither the brain nor the intelligence of the
creature can come into any contact with Him; and this I soon learnt.

Correspondence with the Divine is accomplished for the creature
through the heart and by the uppermost part of the breast, this latter
place (above the heart and below the mind) is the dwelling-place of
the celestial spark of the soul, which lies, as it were, between two
fires--that of the heart and that of the mind, responding directly to
ne