he kingdom of God is within you”,† says the Lord. Turn with all your heart† to the Lord, and forsake this wretched world, and your soul will find rest. Learn to despise outward things, and to give yourself to inward things, and you will see the kingdom of God come within you. “For the kingdom of God is... peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”,† which is not given to the unholy. Christ will come to you and show you His consolation, if you prepare for him a worthy dwelling within. All His glory and beauty are from within,† and there He delights to dwell. He often visits the inward man, and has sweet discourse, pleasant solace, much peace, and familiarity exceedingly wonderful with him.
O faithful soul, make ready your heart for this Bridegroom, that He may come and dwell within you! For He says: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching... and we will come to him and make our home with him”.†
Give therefore a place to Christ, and deny entrance to all others. When you have Christ, you are rich, and have enough. He Himself will be your provider and faithful steward in all things, so that you need not trust in men. For men soon change, and quickly fail; but “Christ will remain