These are the three things which I promised I would bring home to your ears and minds. These three things are in you, which you can number, but cannot separate. These three then, memory, understanding, and will — these three, I say, consider how they are separately exhibited, yet is their operation inseparable.

20. The Lord will be my present help, and I see that He is present to help me; by your understanding what I say, I see that He is present to help me. For I perceive by these your voices how that you have understood me, and I surely trust that He will still assist us, that you may comprehend the whole. I promised to show you three things which are separately exhibited whose operation is yet inseparable. See then; I did not know what was in your mind, and you showed me by saying, Memory. This word, this sound, this expression came forth from your mind to mine ears. For before that, you had the silent idea of this memory, but you did not express it. It was in you, but it had not yet come to me. But in order that that which was in you might be passed on to me, you expressed the very word, that is, Memory. I heard it, I heard these three syllables in the word, Memory. It is a noun, a word of three syllables, it sounded, and came to my ear, and impressed a certain idea on my mind. The sound has passed away, but the word whereby the idea was conveyed, and the idea itself, remains. But I ask, when you pronounced this word, Memory, you see certainly that it has reference to the memory only. For the other two things have their own proper names. For one is called the understanding, and the other, the will, not the memory, but that one alone is called memory. Nevertheless, whereby did you work in order to express this, in order to produce these three syllables? This word which has reference to the memory only, both memory was engaged in producing in you, that you might retain what you said, and understanding, that you might know what you retained, and will, that you might give expression to what you knew. Thanks be to the Lord our God! He has helped us, both you and me. For I tell you the truth, beloved, that I undertook the examination and explanation of this subject with exceeding fear. For I was afraid lest haply I might gladden the spirit of the more enlarged in mind, and inflict on the slower capacities an afflictive weariness. But now I see both by the attention with which you have heard, and the quickness with which you have understood me, that you have not only caught what I have said, but that you have anticipated my words. Thanks be to the Lord!

21. See then, henceforth I speak in all security of that which you have already understood; I am inculcating no unknown lesson, but am only conveying to you by recapitulation what you have already received. Now, of these three things, one only has been yet named and expressed; Memory is the name of one only of those three, yet all the three concurred in producing the name of this single one of the three. The single word memory could not be expressed, but by the operation of the will, and the understanding, and the memory. The single word understanding could not be expressed, but by the operation of the memory, the will, and the understanding; and the single word will could not be expressed, but by the operation of the memory and the understanding and the will. What I promised, then, I think has been explained, that which I have pronounced separately, I conceived inseparably. The three together have produced each one of these, but yet this one which the three have produced has reference not to the three, but to one. The three together have produced the word memory, but this word has reference to none but the memory only. The three together have produced the word understanding, but it has reference to none but the understanding only. The three together have produced the word will, but it has reference to none but the will only. So the Trinity concurred in the formation of the Body of Christ, but it belongs to none but Christ only. The Trinity concurred in the formation of the Dove from heaven; but it belongs to none but the Holy Spirit only. The Trinity formed the Voice from heaven, but this Voice belongs to none but the Father only.

22. Let no one then say to me, no one with unfair cavils try to press upon my infirmity, saying, Which then of these three, which you have shown to be in our mind or soul, which of them answers to the Father, that is, so to say, to the likeness of the Father, which of them to that of the Son, and which of them to that of the Holy Ghost? I cannot say — I cannot explain this. Let us leave somewhat to meditation and to silence. Enter into your own self; separate yourself from all tumult. Look into your inner self; see if you have there some sweet retiring place of conscience, where there may be no noise, no disputation, no strife, or debatings; where there will be not a thought of dissensions, and obstinate contention. Be meek to hear the word, that so you may understand. Perhaps you may soon have to say, You will make me hear of joy and gladness, and my bones shall rejoice; the bones, that is, which are humbled, not those that are lifted up.

23. It is enough, then, that I have shown that there are some three things which are exhibited separately, whose operation is yet inseparable. If you have discovered this in your own self; if you have discovered it in man; if you have discovered it in a being that walks on the earth, and bears about a frail body, which weighs down the soul; believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit may be exhibited separately, by certain visible symbols, by certain forms borrowed from the creatures, and still their operation be inseparable. This is enough. I do not say that memory is the Father — the understanding the Son — and will the Spirit; I do not say this; let men understand it how they will. I do not venture to say this. Let us reserve the greater truths for those who are capable of them: but, infirm as I am myself, I convey to the infirm only what is according to our powers. I do not say that these things are in any sort to be equalled with the Holy Trinity, to be squared after an analogy; that is, a kind of exact rule of comparison. This I do not say. But what do I say? See. I have discovered in you three things, which are exhibited separately, whose operation is inseparable; and of these three, every single name is produced by the three together; yet does not this name belong to the three, but to some one of the three. Believe then in the Trinity, what you can not see, if in yourself you have heard, and seen, and retained it. For what is in your own self you can know: but what is in Him who made you, whatever it be, how can you know? And if you shall be ever able, you are not able yet. And even when you shall be able, will you be able so to know God, as He knows Himself? Let then this suffice you, beloved: I have said all I could; I have made good my promise as you required. As to the rest which must be added, that your understanding may make advancement, this seek from the Lord.