The Mystical Vision is that which in outward nature sees the unseen within the seen, but it is also that which in spiritual things sees behind and beyond the temporal means, the eternal causes and ends (vi.). And it is surely here in the spiritual things, in the heart and centre of human existence, in the stress of sin and suffering, rather than amongst the gentle growing things, and flaming lights, and songs, and blameless creatures of Nature that the Beatific Vision on earth is at its highest. For here are found united the _Evangel_ and the _Vision_ and the _Life_ of love. "There the soul is highest, noblest, and worthiest, where it is lowest, meekest, and mildest": it is not in nature's goodness alone that we have our life, "all our life is in three," in nature, in mercy, in grace; "whereof we have meekness, mildness, patience and pity" (lviii., lix.). Man's "spirit," the higher nature that Julian talks of, may indeed be there in the Heavenly places, as an infant's angel lying in the Father's arms, always beholding His Face in love's silence of waiting; but here in earthly places is the Prodigal Son returning, here too is the Father's embrace, and here is His earliest greeting of the son that was lost and is found. And already here in the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (where _all_ grow pure in the sonship obedience of Jesus Christ), are those that are kept from the first as little children, taken up in His arms and suffered to sing their Hosannahs, which perfect His praise. The Revelation of Love is all centred in the Passion, and looking on the Passion in time the soul sees, in vision, the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world, the mind conceives how before all time the Divine Love took to itself in the Wisdom of God the mode of Manhood, and in time created Man in the same, and how thus God could be and do all that man could be and do, could exercise Love Divine in human Faith and Courage: could "take our flesh" and live on the earth as "the Man, Christ-Jesus," "in all points tempted like as we are," finding His daily Bread in the will of the Father, drinking with joy of the Wine of life in the evening cup of Death. "Pain is passing," says Julian, but in passing it leads forth love in man to its deepest living, its fairest height of pureness and strength and fulfilment. Thus it behoved the Captain of man's salvation to have His perfection here through suffering. It is the _Lamb_ in the midst of the Throne, the Almighty Love that was slain, that is Shepherd to the Martyrs, leading them unto living fountains of waters. He that bore the yoke gives rest to the heavy-laden; blessed is He that mourned: for He comforteth with His comfort.