Heaven
represents
the
depths
and
centre
of
the
soul,
where
all
must
be
in
silence
when
the
majesty
of
God
appears.
All
that
belongs
to
our
own
efforts,
or
to
ourselves
in
any
way,
must
be
destroyed,
because
nothing
is
opposed
to
God
but
appropriation,
and
all
the
malignity
of
man
is
in
this
appropriation,
which
is
the
source
of
his
evil
;
so
that
the
more
a
soul
loses
its
appropriation,
the
more
it
becomes
pure.
Secondly,
in
order
to
unite
two
things
so
opposed
as
the
purity
of
God
and
the
impurity
of
the
creature,
the
simplicity
of
God
and
the
multiplicity
of
the
creature,
God
must
operate
alone
;
for
this
can
never
be
done
by
the
effort
of
the
creature,
since
two
things
cannot
be
united
unless
there
is
some
relation
or
re-semblance
between
them,
as
an
impure
metal
would
never
unite
with
one
that
was
pure
and
refined.
What
does
God
do
then
?
He
sends
before
Him
His
own
Wisdom,
as
fire
will
be
sent
upon
the
earth
to
consume
by
its
activity
all
the
impurity
that
is
there.
Fire
consumes
all
things,
and
nothing
resists
its
activity.
It
is
the
same
with
Wisdom;-
it
con-sumes
all
impurity
in
the
creature,
to
prepare
him
for
divine
union.
