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diff --git a/old/52958-8.txt b/old/52958-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index adf41b9..0000000 --- a/old/52958-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9261 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Revelations of Divine Love Recorded by -Julian, Anchoress at Norwich, by Julian - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - -Title: Revelations of Divine Love Recorded by Julian, Anchoress at Norwich - -Author: Julian - -Illustrator: Phoebe Anna Traquair - -Translator: Grace Warrack - -Release Date: September 2, 2016 [EBook #52958] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE *** - - - - -Produced by Clare Graham & Marc D'Hooghe at Free Literature -(online soon in an extended version, alo linking to free -sources for education worldwide ... MOOC's, educational -materials,...) Images generously made available by the -Internet Archive. - - - - - - - - - REVELATIONS - of DIVINE LOVE - Recorded by JULIAN, - Anchoress at _NORWICH_ - ANNO DOMINI 1373 - - - _In lumine tuo videbimus lumen_ - - - A version from the MS. - in the BRITISH MUSEUM - edited by - GRACE WARRACK - - - Methuen & Company - 36 Essex Street Strand - London - 1901 - - - - - - - DOMINI, REFUGIUM FACTUS ES NOBIS, A GENERATIONE IN GENERATIONEM. - RESPICE IN SERVOS TUOS, ET IN OPERA TUA: ET DIRIGE FILIOS EORUM. - ET SIT SPLENDOR DOMINI DEI NOSTRI SUPER NOS, ET OPERA MANUUM - NOSTRARUM DIRIGE SUPER NOS: ET OPUS MANUUM NOSTRARUM DIRIGE. - -"Truth seeth God, and Wisdom beholdeth God, and of these two cometh the -third: that is a holy, marvelling delight in God; which is Love." - - - - - - - CONTENTS - - PAGE - I. - NOTES ON MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS OF THIS BOOK. xi - - II. - NOTE AS TO TWO JULIANS. xv - - III. - INTRODUCTION:-- - Part I. The Lady Julian. xvii - Part II. The Manner of the Book. xxxiii - Part III. The Theme of the Book. lv - - IV. - "REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE":-- - (_editorial account_) - - i. - A List of Contents, called "A Particular of the - Chapters". 1 - - ii.-iii. - Autobiographical. 3 - - iv.-ix. - _The First Revelation_: The Trinity is shewn, - through the Suffering of Christ, as Goodness, - or Love all-working. 8 - - x. - _The Second Revelation_: Man's Sight of God's - Love is but partial because of sin's darkness. 21 - - xi. - _The Third Revelation_: All Being is Being of - God and is good: Sin is no Being. 26 - - xii. - _The Fourth Revelation_: The stain of sin through - lacking of human love is cleared away by the - Death of Christ in His Love. 29 - - xiii. - _The Fifth Revelation_: By Love's Sacrifice, - in Christ, the evil suffered, for Love's - Increase, to rise, is overcome for ever. 30 - - xiv. - _The Sixth Revelation_: The travail of Man - against evil on earth is a glory accepted - by Love in Heaven. 33 - - xv. - _The Seventh Revelation:_ It is of God's Will, - for our learning, that on earth we change between - joy of light and pain of darkness. 34 - - xvi.-xxi. - _The Eighth Revelation:_ Of the oneness - of God and Man in the Passion of Christ, through - Compassion of the Creature with Christ and of - Christ with the Creature. All compassion in men - is Christ in men. 36 - - xxii.-xxiii. - _The Ninth Revelation_: Of the worshipful entering - of Man's soul into the Joy of Love Divine in the - Passion. 46 - - xxiv. - _The Tenth Revelation_: Of the thankful entering - of the soul into the Peace of _the Endless Love_ - opened up for Man in the time of the Passion. 51 - - xxv. - _The Eleventh Revelation:_ Of Christ's Raising, - Fulfilling Love to the souls of men, as beheld - in the love between Him and His Mother. 52 - - xxvi. - _The Twelfth Revelation:_ All that the soul - lives by and loves is God, through Christ. 54 - - xxvii.-xl. - _The Thirteenth Revelation:_ Man's finite love - was suffered by Infinite Love to fail, that - falling thus through sin into pain and death - of darkness, the creature therein might more - deeply know his need and more highly know, in - its succouring strength, the Creator's Love, - as the Saviour's; that so being raised, and for - ever held clinging to that through the grace of - the Holy Ghost, he might rise to fuller and - higher and endless oneness with God. 55 - - xli.-xliii. - _The Fourteenth Revelation:_ Beginning on - earth, Prayer makes the soul one with God. 84 - - xliv.-lxiii. - Regarding these Revelations and the Christian - Life of Love's travail on earth against sin. 93 - - lxiv.-lxv. - _The Fifteenth Revelation_ (Closing): Of - Love's Fulfilment in Heaven. 159 - - lxvi. - Autobiographical: The fall through frailty of - nature, by self-regarding, into doubt of the - Shewing of Love; the rescue by mercy; the - assaying of faith and the overcoming by grace. 164 - - lxvii.-lxviii. - _The Sixteenth Revelation_ (Confirming): The - Indwelling of God In the Soul, now and for ever. - "_Thou shalt not be overcome._" 167 - - lxix. - Autobiographical: The second assaying of faith, - through the horror of spiritual darkness; the - overcoming by virtue of the Passion of Christ, - with help from the Common Belief of the - Christian Fellowship. 170 - - lxx.-lxxxv. - The Life of Faith is kept by Charity, - led on by Hope 172 - - lxxvi. - The Meaning of the Whole. Of learning more on - earth and In Heaven of the One thing taught - in the Revelation: _the Endless Love_; in - Which Life is everlasting. 201 - - V. - POSTSCRIPT - BY AN EARLY TRANSCRIBER OF THE MANUSCRIPT. 204 - - VI. - GLOSSARY. 205 - - - -_The Title-page is from a design by Phoebe Anna Traquair._ - - - - - - - NOTES ON MANUSCRIPTS AND EDITIONS - - -This English book exists in two Manuscripts: No. 30 of the Bibliothèque -Nationale, Paris (_Bibliotheca Bigotiana_, 388), and No. 2499 _Sloane_, -in the British Museum. - -The Paris Manuscript is of the Sixteenth Century, the Sloane is in a -Seventeenth Century handwriting; the English of the Fourteenth Century -seems to be on the whole well preserved in both, especially perhaps in -the later Manuscript, which must have been copied from one of mixed -East Anglian and northern dialects. This manuscript has no title-page, -and nothing is known as to its history. Delisle's catalogue of the -_Biblioth. Bigot._ (1877) gives no particulars as to the acquisition of -No. 388. The two versions may be compared in these sentences:-- - -Chap. II., _Paris_ MS.: "This revelation was made to a Symple creature -unlettyrde leving in deadly flesh the yer of our Lord a thousande and -thre hundered and lxxiii the xiii Daie of May." - -_Sloane_: "These Revelations were shewed to a simple creature that -cowde no letter the yeere of our Lord 1373 the xiij day of may." - -Chap. LI., _Paris_ MS.: "The colour of his face was feyer brown whygt -with full semely countenaunce. his eyen were blakke most feyer and -semely shewyng full of lovely pytte and within hym an heyward long -and brode all full of endlesse hevynlynes. And the lovely lokyng that -he lokyd on his servant contynually. And namely in his fallyng ÷ me -thought it myght melt oure hartys for love. and brek them on twoo for -Joy." - -_Sloane_: "The color of his face was faire browne, with ful semely -features, his eyen were blak most faire and semely shewand ful of -lovely pety and within him an heyward long and brode all full of endles -hevyns, and the lovely lokeing that he loked upon his servant continuly -and namely in his fallyng me thowte it myte molten our herts for love & -bresten hem on to for joy." - -The Sloane MS. does not mention the writer of the book, but the copyist -of the Paris version has, after the _Deo Gratias_ with which it ends, -added or transcribed these words: _Explicit liber Revelationem Julyane -anatorite_ [sic] _Norwyche cujus anime propicietur Deus_. - -Blomefield, in his _History of Norfolk_ (iv. p. 81), speaks of "an -old vellum Manuscript, 36 pages of which contained an account of -the visions, etc.," of the Lady Julian, anchoress at St. Julian's, -Norwich, and quotes the title written by a contemporary: "Here es a -Vision shewed by the godenes of God to a devoute Woman: and her name -is Julian, that is recluse at Noryche, and yett is on life, Anno -Domini mccccxlii. In the whilke Vision er fulle many comfortabyll -words, and greatly styrrande to alle they that desyres to be Crystes -Looverse"--greatly stirring to all that desire to be lovers of Christ. -This Manuscript, possibly containing the writing of Julian herself, -was in the possession of the Rev. Francis Peck (1692-1743). The -original MSS. of that antiquarian writer went to Sir Thomas Cave, and -ultimately to the British Museum, but his general library was sold in -1758 to Mr T. Payne (of Payne & Foss), bookseller, Strand, and this old -Manuscript of the "Revelations," which has been sought for in vain in -the catalogues of public collections, may perhaps have been bought and -sold by him.[1] It may be extant in some private library. - -Tersteegen, who, in his _Auserlesene Beschreibungen Heiliger Seelen_, -gives a long extract from Julian's book (vol. iii. p. 252, 3rd ed. -1784), mentions in his preface that he had seen "in the Library of the -late Poiret" an old Manuscript of these Revelations. Pierre Poiret, -author of several works on mystical theology, died in 1719 near Leyden, -but the Manuscript has not found its way to the University there. - -Poiret himself refers thus to Julian and her book in his _Catalogus -Auctorum Mysticorum_, giving to her name the asterisk denoting -greatness: "_Julianae Matris Anachoretae, Revelationes de Amore Dei. -Anglice. Theodidactae, profundae, ecstaticae._" (_Theologiae Pacificae -itemque Mysticae_, p. 336. Amsterdam, 1702.) - -The earliest printed edition of Julian's book was prepared by the -Benedictine Serenus de Cressy, and published in 1670 by permission of -his ecclesiastical Superior, the Abbot of Lambspring, under the title -of _Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love_. It agrees with the Manuscript -now in Paris, but the readings that differ from the Sloane Manuscript -are very few and are quite unimportant. This version of de Cressy's -is in Seventeenth Century English with some archaic words, which are -explained on the side margins; it was re-printed in 1843. A modernised -version taken from the Sloane MS. was published, with a preface, by -Henry Collins in 1877 (T. Richardson & Sons). - -These three, the only printed editions, are now all of great rarity. - -For the following version, the editor having transcribed the Sloane -MS., divided its continuous lines into paragraphs, supplied to many -words capital letters, and while following as far as possible the -significance of the commas and occasional full stops of the original, -endeavoured to make the meaning clearer by a more varied punctuation. -As the book is designed for general use, modern spelling has been -adopted, and most words entirely obsolete in speech have been rendered -in modern English, though a few that seemed of special significance -or charm have been retained. Archaic forms of construction have -been almost invariably left as they are, without regard to modern -grammatical usage. Occasionally a word has been underlined for the sake -of clearness or as a help in preserving the measure of the original -language, which in a modern version must lose a little in rhythm, by -altered pronunciation and by the dropping of the termination "en" from -verbs in the infinitive. Here and there a clause has been put within -parentheses. The very few changes made in words that might have any -bearing on theological or philosophical questions, any historical or -personal significance in the presentment of Julian's view, are noted on -the margin and in the Glossary. Where prepositions are used in a sense -now obscure they have generally been left as they are (_e.g., of_ for -_by_ or _with_), or have been added to rather than altered (_e.g., for_ -is rendered by the archaic but intelligible _for that_, rather than -by _because_, and _of_ is amplified by words in square brackets, as -[_by virtue_] _of_, [_out_] _of_ rather than changed into _through_ or -_from_). The editor has desired to follow the rule of never omitting -a word from the Manuscript, and of enclosing within square brackets -the very few words added. It may be seen that these words do not alter -the sense of the passage, but are interpolated with a view to bringing -it out more clearly, in insignificant references (_e.g._ "in this -[Shewing]"), and once or twice in a passage of special obscurity (see -chap. xlv). - -[1] v. Nichol's _Literary Anecdotes_, vol. iii. p. 653. - - - - - NOTE AS TO THE LADY JULIAN, ANCHORESS AT ST JULIAN'S, AND THE LADY - JULIAN LAMPET, ANCHORESS AT CARROW - - -In _Carrow Abbey_, by Walter Rye (privately printed, 1889), is given a -list of Wills, in which the name of the Lady Julian Lampet frequently -occurs as a legatee between the years 1427 (Will of Sir John Erpingham) -and 1478 (Will of William Hallys). Comparing the Will of Hallys with -that of Margaret Purdance, which was made in 1471 but not proved till -1483, and from which the name of Lady Julian Lampet as a legatee is -stroked out, no doubt because of her death, we find evidence that this -anchoress died between 1478 and 1483. As even the earlier of these -dates was a hundred and thirty-six years after the birth of the writer -of the "Revelations," who in May 1373 was over thirty years of age, -the identity of the "Lady Julian, recluse at Norwich," with the Lady -Julian Lampet, though it has naturally been suggested, is surely an -impossibility. There were anchorages in the churchyards both of St -Julian's, Conisford (which belonged to the nuns of Carrow in the sense -of its revenues having been made over to them by King Stephen for the -support of that Priory or "Abbey"), and of St Mary's, the Convent -Church of the nuns. See the Will of Robert Pert--proved 1445--which -left "to the anchoress of Carhowe 1s., to ditto at St Julian's 1s.," -and that of the Lady Isobel Morley, who in 1466 left bequests to "Dame -Julian, anchoress at Carrow, and Dame Agnes, anchoress at St Julian's -in Cunisford"--no doubt the same Dame Agnes that is mentioned by -Blomefield as being at St Julian's in 1472. This Agnes may have been -the immediate successor of Julian the writer of the "Revelations," who -is spoken of as "yet in life"--as if in great age--in 1442, when she -would be a hundred years old. - -Perhaps the almost invariable use of the surname of the Carrow -Dame Julian (who was, no doubt, of the family of Sir Ralph -Lampet--frequently mentioned by Blomefield and in the _Paston Letters_) -may go to establish proof that there had been before her and in her -earlier years of recluse life another anchoress Julian, who most likely -had been educated at Carrow, but who lived as an anchoress at St -Julian's, and was known simply as Dame or "the Lady" Julian. - - * * * * * - -From Blomefield's _History of Norfolk_, vol. iv. p. 524: "Carhoe or -Carrow stands on a hill by the side of the river, about a furlong from -Conisford or Southgates, and was always in the liberty of the City -[of Norwich].... Here was an ancient Hospital or Nunnery, dedicated -to Saint Mary and Saint John, to which King Stephen having given -lands and meadows without the South-gate, Seyna and Lescelina, two of -the sisters, in 1146 began the foundations of a new monastery called -Kairo, Carrow, Car-hou, and sometimes Car-Dieu, which was dedicated to -the Virgin Mary and Saint John, and consisted of a prioress and nine -(afterwards twelve) Benedictine black nuns.... Their church was founded -by King Stephen and was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and had a -chapel of St John Baptist joined to its south side, and another of St -Catherine to its north; there was also an anchorage by it, and in 1428 -Lady Julian Lampet was anchoress there." ... "This nunnery for many -years had been a school or place of education for the young ladies of -the chief families of the diocese, who boarded with and were educated -by the nuns." - -From Dr Jessopp's _Visitations of the Diocese of Norwich_, 1492-1532, -Introduction, p. xliv.: "The priory of Carrow had always enjoyed a good -reputation, and the house had for long been a favourite retreat for the -daughters of the Norwich citizens who desired to give themselves to a -life of religious retirement." - - - - - INTRODUCTION - - PART I - - THE LADY JULIAN - - _Beati pauperes spiritu: quoniam ipsorum est regnum coelorum_ - _S. Matth. v._ 3 - - -Very little is known of the outer life of the woman that nearly five -hundred years ago left us this book. - -It is in connection with the old Church of St Julian in the parish of -Conisford, outlying Norwich, that Julian is mentioned in Blomefield's -_History of Norfolk_ (vol. iv. p. 81): "In the east part of the -churchyard stood an anchorage in which an ankeress or recluse dwelt -till the Dissolution, when the house was demolished, though the -foundations may still be seen (1768). In 1393 Lady Julian, the ankeress -here was a strict recluse, and had two servants to attend her in her -old age. This woman was in these days esteemed one of the greatest -holiness. In 1472 Dame Agnes was recluse here; in 1481, Dame Elizabeth -Scott; in 1510, Lady Elizabeth; in 1524, Dame Agnes Edrygge." - -The little Church of St Julian (in use at this day) still keeps from -Norman times its dark round tower of flint rubble, and still there -are traces about its foundation of the anchorage built against its -south-eastern wall. "This Church was founded," says the History of -the County, "before the Conquest, and was given to the nuns of Carhoe -(Carrow) by King Stephen, their founder; it hath a round tower and -but one bell; the north porch and nave are tiled, and the chancel is -thatched. There was an image of St Julian in a niche of the wall of -the Church, in the Churchyard." Citing the record of a burial in "the -churchyard of St Julian, the King and Confessor," Blomefield observes: -"which shews that it was not dedicated to St Julian, the Bishop, nor St -Julian, the Virgin." - -The only knowledge that we have directly from Julian as to any part -of her history is given in her account of the time and manner in -which the Revelation came, and of her condition before and during and -after this special experience. She tells how on the 13th day of May, -1373,[1] the Revelation of Love was shewed to her, "a simple creature, -unlettered," who had before this time made certain special prayers from -out of her longing after more love to God and her trouble over the -sight of man's sin and sorrow. She had come now, she mentions, to the -age of thirty, for which she had in one of these prayers, desired to -receive a greater consecration,--thinking, perhaps, of the year when -the Carpenter's workshop was left by the Lord for wider ministry,--she -was "thirty years old and an half." This would make her birth-date -about the end of 1342, and the old Manuscript says that she "was yet in -life" in 1442. Julian relates that the Fifteen consecutive "Shewings" -lasted from about four o'clock till after nine of that same morning, -that they were followed by only one other Shewing (given on the night -of the next day), but that through later years the teaching of these -Sixteen Shewings had been renewed and explained and enlarged by the -more ordinary enlightenment and influences of "the same Spirit that -shewed them." In this connection she speaks, in different chapters, of -"fifteen years after and more," and of twenty years after, "save three -months"; thus her book cannot have been finished before 1393. - -Of the circumstances in which the Revelations came, and of all matters -connected with them, Julian gives a careful account, suggestive of -great calmness and power of observation and reflection at the time, -as well as of discriminating judgment and certitude afterwards. She -describes the preliminary seven days' sickness, the cessation of all -its pain during the earlier visions, in which she had spiritual -sight of the Passion of Christ, and indeed during all the five hours' -"special Shewing"; the return of her physical pain and mental distress -and "dryness" of feeling when the vision closed; her falling into -doubt as to whether she had not simply been delirious, her terrifying -dream on the Friday night,--noting carefully that "this horrible -Shewing" came in her sleep, "and so did none other"--none of the -Sixteen Revelations of Love came thus. Then she tells how she was -helped to overcome the dream-temptation to despair, and how on the -following night another Revelation, conclusion and confirmation of -all, was granted to strengthen her faith. Again her faith was assayed -by a similar dream-appearance of fiends that seemed as it were to be -mocking at all religion, and again she was delivered, overcoming by -setting her eyes on the Cross and fastening her heart on God, and -comforting her soul with speech of Christ's Passion (as she would have -comforted another in like distress) and rehearsing the Faith of all -the Church. It may be noted here that Julian when telling how she was -given grace to awaken from the former of these troubled dreams, says, -"anon all vanished away and I was brought to great rest and peace, -without sickness of body or dread of conscience," and that nothing in -the book gives any ground for supposing that she had less than ordinary -health during the long and peaceful life wherein God "lengthened her -patience." Rather it would seem that one so wholesome in mind, so -happy in spirit, so wisely moderate, no doubt, in self-guidance, must -have kept that general health that _she_ could not despise who speaks -of God having "no disdain" to serve the body, for love of the soul, of -how we are "soul and body clad in the Goodness of God," of how "God -hath made waters plenteous in earth to our service and to our bodily -ease,"[2] and of how Christ waiteth to minister to us His gifts of -grace "unto the time that we be waxen and grown, our soul with our body -and our body with our soul, either of them taking help of other, till -we be brought unto stature, as nature worketh."[3] - -Julian mentions neither her name not her state in life; she is "the -soul," the "poor" or "simple" soul that the Revelation was shewed -to--"a simple creature," in herself, a mere "wretch," frail and of no -account. - -Of her parentage and early home we know nothing: but perhaps her own -exquisite picture of Motherhood--of its natural (its "kind") love and -wisdom and knowledge--is taken partly from memory, with that of the -kindly nurse, and the child, which by nature loveth the Mother and -each of the other children, and of the training by Mother and Teacher -until the child is brought up to "the Father's bliss" (lxi.-lxiii.). - -The title "Lady," "Dame" or "Madame" was commonly accorded to -anchoresses, nuns, and others that had had education in a Convent.[4] - -Julian, no doubt, was of gentle birth, and she would probably be sent -to the Convent of Carrow for her education. There she would receive -from the Benedictine nuns the usual instruction in reading, writing, -Latin, French, and fine needlework, and especially in that Common -Christian Belief to which she was always in her faithful heart and -steadfast will so loyal,--"the Common Teaching of Holy Church in which -I was afore informed and grounded, and with all my will having in use -and understanding" (xlvi.). - -It is most likely that Julian received at Carrow the consecration -of a Benedictine nun; for it was usual, though not necessary, for -anchoresses to belong to one or other of the Religious Orders. - -The more or less solitary life of the anchorite or hermit, the -anchoress or recluse, had at this time, as earlier, many followers in -the country parts and large towns of England. Few of the "reclusoria" -or women's anchorholds were in the open country or forest-lands -like those that we come upon in Medieval romances, but many churches -of the villages and towns had attached to them a timber or stone -"cell"--a little house of two or three rooms inhabited by a recluse who -never left it, and one servant, or two, for errands and protection. -Occasionally a little group of recluses lived together like those three -young sisters of the Thirteenth Century for whom the _Ancren Riwle_, -a Rule or Counsel for "Ancres," was at their own request composed. -The recluse's chamber seems to have generally had three windows: one -looking into the adjoining Church, so that she could take part in the -Services there; another communicating with one of those rooms under -the keeping of her "maidens," in which occasionally a guest might be -entertained; and a third--the "parlour" window--opening to the outside, -to which all might come that desired to speak with her. According to -the _Ancren Riwle_ the covering-screen for this audience-window was -a curtain of double cloth, black with a cross of white through which -the sunshine would penetrate--sign of the Dayspring from on high. -This screen could of course be drawn back when the recluse 'held a -parliament' with any that came to her.[5] - -Before Julian passed from the sunny lawns and meadows of Carrow, along -the road by the river and up the lane to the left by the gardens and -orchards of the Coniston of that day, to the little Churchyard house -that would hide so much from her eyes of outward beauty, and yet leave -so much in its changeful perpetual quietude around her (great skies -overhead like the ample heavenly garments of her vision "blue as azure -most deep and fair"; little Speedwell's blue by the crannied wall of -the Churchyard--_Veronika_, true Image, like the Saint's "Holy Vernacle -at Rome") her vow[6] might be: "I offering yield myself to the divine -Goodness[7] for service, in the order of anchorites: and I promise to -continue in the service of God after the rule of that order, by divine -grace and the counsel of the Church: and to shew canonical obedience to -my ghostly fathers." - -The only reference that Julian makes to the life dedicated more -especially to Contemplation is where she is speaking, as if from -experience, of the temptation to despair because of falling oftentimes -into the same sins, "especially into sloth and losing of time. For -that is the beginning of sin, as to my sight,--and especially to the -creatures that have given themselves to serve our Lord with inward -beholding of His blessed Goodness."[8] - -"_One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I -may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold -the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple_"--His Sanctuary -of the Church or of the soul. _That_ was her calling. She had heard the -Voice that comes to the soul in Spring-time and calls to the Garden of -lilies, and calls to the Garden of Olive-trees (where all the spices -offered are in one Cup of Heavenly Wine): _"Surge, propera amica mea: -jam enim Hyems transiit, imber ambiit et recessit. Surge, propera amica -mea, speciosa mea, et veni." "Arise: let us go hence."[9] "For this is -the natural yearnings of the soul by the touching of the Holy Ghost: -God of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself, for Thou art enough to me; ... -and if I ask anything that is less, ever me wanteth; but only in Thee I -have all"_ (v.). - -"A soul that only fasteneth itself on to God with very trust, either -by seeking or in beholding, it is the most worship that it may do to -Him, as to my sight" (x.). "To enquire" and "to behold"--no doubt it -was for these that Julian sought time and quiet. For she had urgent -questionings and "stirrings" in her mind over "the great hurt that is -come by sin to the creature"--"afore this time often I wondered why by -the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not letted" -("mourning and sorrow I made over it without reason and discretion"); -and also she was filled with desire for God: "the longing that I had to -Him afore" (xxvii.). - -Moreover, this life to which Julian gave herself was to be a life of -"meek continuant prayers" "for enabling" of herself in her weakness, -and for help to others in all their needs. For thought and worship -could only be held together by active prayer: the pitiful beholding -of evil and pain and the joyful beholding of Goodness and Love would -be at war, as it were, with each other, unless they were set at peace -for the time by the prayer of intercession. And _that_ is the call of -the loving soul, strong in its infant feebleness to wake the answering -Revelation of Love to faith that "all shall be well," and that "all is -well" and that when all are come up above and the whole is known, all -shall be seen to be well, and to have been well through the time of -tribulation and travail. - -"At some time in the day or night," says the _Ancren Riwle_, -which Julian perhaps may have read, though as to such prayers her -compassionate heart was its own director--"At some time in the day -or night think upon and call to mind all who are sick and sorrowful, -who suffer affliction and poverty, the pain which prisoners endure who -lie heavily fettered with iron; think especially of the Christians who -are amongst the heathen, some in prison, some in so great thralldom -as is an ox or an ass; compassionate those who are under strong -temptations; take thought of all men's sorrows, and sigh to our Lord -that He may take care of them and have compassion and look upon them -with a gracious eye; and if you have leisure, repeat this Psalm, _I -have lifted up mine eyes. Paternoster. Return, O Lord, how long, and -be intreated in favour of Thy servants: Let us pray._ 'Stretch forth, -O Lord, to thy servants and to thy handmaids the right hand of thy -heavenly aid, that they may seek thee with all their heart, and obtain -what they worthily ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.'" Julian tells -how in her thinking of sin and its hurt there passed before her sight -all that Christ bore for us, "and His dying; and all the pains and -passions of all His creatures, ghostly and bodily; _and the beholding -of this_--with all pains that ever were or ever shall be" (xxvii). -From sin, except as a general conception, Julian's natural instinct -was to turn her eyes; but with this Christly compassion in her heart -in looking on the sorrows of the world she could not but take account -of its sin. As she came to be convinced that "though we be highly -lifted up into contemplation, it is needful for us to see our own -sin,"--albeit we should not accuse ourselves "overdone much" or "be -heavy or sorrowful indiscreetly"--so when sins of others were brought -before her she would seek with compassion to take the sinner's part of -contrition and prayer. "The beholding of other man's sins, it maketh -as it were a thick mist afore the eyes of the soul, and we cannot, -for the time, see the fairness of God, but if we can behold them with -contrition with him, with compassion on him, and with holy desire to -God for him" (lxxvi.). - -And notwithstanding all the stir and eager revival of the Fourteenth -Century in religion, politics, literature and general life, there -was much both of sin and of sorrow then to exercise the pitiful -soul--troubles enough in Norwich itself, of oppression and riot and -desolating pestilence--troubles enough in Europe, West and East,--wars -and enslaving and many cruelties in distant lands, and harried Armenian -Christians coming to the Court of Edward to plead for succour in -their long-enduring patience. There was trouble wherever one looked; -but to prayer, and to that compassion which is in itself a prayer, -the answer came. Indeed the compassion was its own first immediate -answer: for "then I saw that each kind compassion that man hath on his -_even-Cristen_ (his fellow-Christians) with charity, _it is Christ in -him_." This is the comfort that both comforts in waiting and calls to -deeds of help. And such "charity" of social service was not beyond the -scope of the life "enclosed,"--whether it might be by deed or, as more -often, by speech.[10] - -It is in her seeking for truth and her beholding of Love that we best -know Julian. Of the opening of the Revelation she says: "In all this -I was greatly stirred in charity to mine even-Christians, that they -might see and know the same that I saw: for I would it were comfort to -them," and again and again throughout the book she declares that the -"special Shewing" is given not for her in special, but for all--for all -are meant to be one in comfort as all are one in need. "Because of the -Shewing I am not good, but if I love God the better: and in as much as -ye love God the better it is more to you than to me.... For we are all -one in comfort. For truly it was not shewed me that God loved me better -than the least soul that is in grace; for I am certain that there be -many that never had any Shewing nor sight but of the common teaching of -Holy Church that love God better than I. For if I look singularly to -myself I am right nought; but in general [manner of regarding] I am, I -hope, in oneness of charity with all mine even-Christians. For in this -oneness standeth the life of all mankind that shall be saved, and that -which I say of me, I say in the person of all mine even-Christians: for -I am taught in the Spiritual Shewing of our Lord God that He meaneth -it so. And therefore I pray you for God's sake, and counsel you for -your own profit that ye leave the beholding of a worthless creature [a -"wretch"] it was shewed to and mightily, wisely and meekly behold God -that of His special goodness would shew it generally, in comfort of us -all" (ix.). - -Thus Julian turns our eyes from looking _on_ her to looking _with_ her -on the Revelation of Divine Love. - -Yet surely in her we have also "a shewing"--a shewing of the same. -She tells us little of her own story, and little is told us of her -by any one else, but all through her recording of the Revelation the -simple creature to whom it was made unconsciously shews herself, so -that soon we come to know her with a pleasure that surely she would -not think too "special" in its regard. (For she herself in speaking -of Love makes note that the general does not exclude the special). -Perhaps we are helped in this friendly acquaintanceship by those -endearingly characteristic little formulas of speech disavowing any -claim to dogmatic authority in the statements of her views of truth: -those modest parentheses "as to my sight," "as to mine understanding." -"Wisdom and truth and love," the dower that she saw in the Gracious -soul, were surely in the soul of this meek woman; but enclosing -these gifts of nature and grace are qualities special to Julian: -depth of passion, with quietness, order, and moderation; loyalty in -faith, with clearest candour--"I believe ... but this was not shewed -me"--(xxxiii., lxxvii., lxxx.) pitifulness and sympathy, with hope and -a blithe serenity; sound good sense with a little sparkle upon it--as -of delicate humour (that crowning virtue of saints); and beneath all, -above all, an exquisite tenderness that turns her speech to music. "_I -will lay thy Stones with fair Colours._" - -"Thou hast the dews of thy youth." Hundreds of years have gone since -that early morning in May when Julian thought she was dying and was -"partly troubled" for she felt she was yet in youth and would gladly -have served God more on earth with the gift of her days--hundreds -of years since the time that her heart would fain have been told by -special Shewing that "a certain creature I loved should continue in -good living"--but still we have "mind" of her as "a gentle neighbour -and of our knowing." For those that love in simplicity are always -young; and those that have had with the larger Vision of Love the gift -of love's passionate speech, to God or man, in word or form or deed, as -treasure held--live yet on the earth, untouched by time, though their -light is shining elsewhere for other sight. - -"From that time that the Revelation was shewed I desired oftentimes to -learn what was our Lord's meaning. And fifteen years afterwards and -more, I was answered in ghostly understanding, saying thus: _Wouldst -thou learn thy Lord's meaning in this thing? Learn it well: Love was -His meaning. Who shewed it thee? Love. What shewed He thee? Love. -Wherefore shewed it He? For Love. Hold thee therein and thou shalt -learn and know more in the same. But thou shalt never know nor learn -other thing without end._" - -And if we, with no special shewing, might ask and, in trust of -"spiritual understanding," might answer more--asking _to whom_, and -_for whom_ was the Revelation shewed, we might answer: _To one that -loved_; for all that would learn in love. - - "_Ecco chi crescerà li nostri amori_"[11] - - "Here is one who shall increase our love." - - Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. - Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. - -[1] This must have been a Friday--sacred Day of the Passion of -Christ--for Easter Sunday of 1373 was on the 17th of April (O.S.). So -when the Revelation finally closed and Julian was left to "keep it in -the Faith"--the Common Christian Faith--it was Sunday morning, and -the words and voices she would hear through her window opening into -the Church would be from the early worship of "the Blessed Common" -assembled there. - -[2] See the _Ancren Riwle_, Part viii. _Of Domestic Matters_, for -counsels to anchoresses as to judicious care of the body: diet, -washing, needful rest, avoidance of idleness and gloom, reading, sewing -for Church and Poor, making and mending and washing of clothes by the -anchoress or her servant. "Ye may be well content with your clothes, be -they white, be they black; only see that they be plain, and warm, and -well made--skins well tanned; and have as many as you need.... Let your -shoes be thick and warm." - -[3] _cf._ Robert Browning, _Rabbi Ben Ezra_, xii. - -[4] S. de Cressy was probably the originator of the designation "Mother -Juliana." The old name was _Julian_. The Virgin-Martyr of the Legend -entitled "The Life of St Juliana" (Early English Text Society) is -called in the Manuscripts, Iulane, Juliene, and Juliane and Julian. -So also _Lady Julian Berners_ is a name in the history of Fifteenth -Century books. - -[5] "So he kneeled at her window and anon the recluse opened it, and -asked Sir Percival what he would. 'Madam,' said he, 'I am a knight of -King Arthur's Court and my name is Sir Percival de Galis.' So when the -recluse heard his name, she had passing great joy of him, for greatly -she loved him before all other knights of the world; and so of right -she ought to do, for she was his aunt."--Malory's _Morte d'Arthur_, -xiv. i. - -[6] _Manuale ad usum insignis ecclesie Sarisburiensis_ (ed. of 1555), -fo. lxix. _Servitium includendorum._ - -[7] "_pietatis_." - -[8] The sins that Julian mentions, "despair or doubtful dread," "sloth -and losing of time," "unskilful [unpractical, unreasoning] heaviness -and vain sorrow," seem to be all akin to that dreaded sin, besetting -particularly the Contemplative life, _Accidia_. See _Ancren Riwle_ p. -287. "_Accidies salue is gestlich gledshipe._ The remedy for indolence -is spiritual joy, and the consolation of joyful hope from reading and -from holy meditation, or when spoken by the mouth of man. Often, dear -sisters, ye ought to pray less, that ye may read more. Reading is -good prayer. Reading teacheth how, and for what ye ought to pray. In -reading, when the heart feels delight, devotion ariseth, and that is -worth many prayers. Everything, however, may be overdone. Moderation is -always best."--(Pub. by the Camden Society). - -[9] Canticles ii. 10. St John xiv. 31. - -[10] See the chapter "How an Anchoress shall behave herself to them -that come to her," in "The Scale of Perfection," by Walter Hilton (died -1396), edition of 1659, p. 106. "Since it is so that thou oughtest not -to goe out of thy house to seek occasion how thou mightest profit thy -Neighbour by deeds of Charity, because thou art enclosed; ... therefore -who so will speake with thee ... be thou soon ready with a good will to -aske what his will is ... for thou knowest not what he is, nor why he -cometh, nor what need he hath of thee, or thou of him, till thou hast -tryed. And though thou be at prayer, or at thy devotions, that thou -thinkest loth to break off, for that thou thinkest that thou oughtest -not leave God for to speake with any one, I think not so in this case, -for if thou be wise, thou shalt not leave God, but thou shalt find him, -and have him, and see him in thy Neighbour as well as in prayer, onely -in another manner. If thou canst love thy Neighbour well, to speake -with thy Neighbour with discretion shall be no hindrance to thee.... -If he come to tell thee his disease [distress] or trouble, and to be -comforted by thy speech, heare him gladly, and suffer him to say what -he will for ease of his own heart; And when he hath done, comfort him -if thou canst, gladly, gently, and charitably, and soon break off. And -then, after that, if he will fall into idle tales, or vanities of the -World, or of other men's actions, answer him but little, and feed not -his speech, and he will soon be weary, and quickly take his leave," etc. - -[11] Dante, _Paradiso_, v. 105. - - - - - PART II - - THE MANNER OF THE BOOK - - As an hert desirith to the wellis of watris: - so thou God, my soule desirith to thee.... - The Lord sent his merci in the day: - and his song in the nyght. - Ps. '_Quemadmodum_'; from the _Prymer_. - - -Without any special study of the literature of Mysticism for purposes -of comparison, in reading Julian's book one is struck by a few -characteristics wherein it differs from many other Mystical writings -as well as by qualities that belong to most or all of that general -designation. - -The silence of this book both as to preliminary ascetic exercises and -as to ultimate visions of the Absolute, might be attributed to Julian's -being wholly concerned with giving, for comfort to all, that special -sight of truth that came to her as the answer to her own need. She sets -out not to teach methods of any kind for the gradual drawing near of -man to God, but to record and shew forth a Revelation, granted once, of -God's actual nearness to the soul, and for this Revelation she herself -had been prepared by the "stirring" of her conscience, her love and -her understanding, in a word of her _faith_, even as she was in short -time to be left "neither sign nor token," but only the Revelation to -hold "in faith." Moreover, the means that in general she looks to for -realising God's nearness, in whatever measure or manner the revelation -of it may come to any soul, is the immediate one of faith as a gift -of nature and a grace from the Holy Ghost: faith leading by prayer, -and effort of obedience, and teachableness of spirit, into actual -experience of oneness with God. The natural and common heritage of -love and faith is a theme that is dear to Julian: in her view, longing -toward God is grounded in the love to Him that is native to the human -heart, and this longing (painful through sin) as it is stirred by the -Holy Spirit, who comes with Christ, is, in each naturally developed -Christian, spontaneous and increasing;--"for the nearer we be to our -bliss, the more we long after it" (xlvi., lxxii., lxxxi.). "This is -the kinde [the natural] yernings of the soule by the touching of the -Holy Ghost: _God of Thy goodness give me Thyself: for Thou art enow -to me, and I may nothing ask that is less that may be full worshippe -to Thee_." God is the first as well as the last: the soul begins as -well as ends with God: begins by Nature, begins again by Mercy, and -ends--yet "without end"--by Grace. Certainly on the way--the way of -these three, by falling, by succour, by upraising--to the more perfect -knowing of God that is the soul's Fulfilment in Heaven, there is a less -immediate knowledge to be gained through experience: "_And if I aske -anything that is lesse, ever me wantith_," for "It needyth us to have -knoweing of the littlehede of creatures and to nowtyn all thing that -is made, for to love and have God that is onmade." But this knowing -of the littleness of creatures comes to Julian first of all in a sight -of _the Goodness of God_; "For [to] a soule that seith the Maker of -all, all that is made semith full litil." By the further beholding, -indeed, of God as Maker and Preserver, that which has been rightly -"noughted" as of no account, is seen to be also truly of much account. -For that which was seen by the soul as so little that it seemed to be -about to fall to nothing for littleness, is seen by the understanding -to have "three properties":--God made it, God loveth it, God keepeth -it. Thus it is known as "great and large, fair and good"; "it lasteth, -and ever shall, for God loveth it."--Yet again the soul breaks away -to its own, with the natural flight of a bird from its Autumn nest at -the call of an unseen Spring to the far-off land that is nearer still -than its nest, because it is in its heart. "But what is to _me_ sothly -[in verity] the Maker, the Keper and the Lover,--I cannot tell, for -till I am Substantially oned [deeply united] to Him, I may never have -full rest ne very blisse; that is to sey, that I be so festined to -Him, that there is right nowte that is made betwix my God and me" (v., -viii.). This "fastening" is all that in Julian's book represents that -needful process wherein the truth of asceticism has a part. It is not -essentially a process of detaching the thought from created things of -time--still less one of detaching the heart from created beings of -eternity--but a process of more and more allowing and presenting the -man to be fastened closely to God by means of the original longing -of the soul, the influence of the Holy Ghost, and the discipline of -life with its natural tribulations, which by their purifying serve to -strengthen the affections that remaining pass through them. "_But only -in Thee I have all._" On the way this discovery of the soul at peace -must needs be sometimes a word for exclusion, in parting and pressing -onward from things that are made: in the end it is the welcome, -all-inclusive. And Julian, notwithstanding her enclosure as a recluse, -is one of those that, happy in nature and not too much hindered by -conditions of life, possess for large use _by the way_ the mystical -peace of fulfilled possession through virtue of freedom from bondage -to self. For it is by means of the tyranny of the "self," regarding -chiefly itself in its claims and enjoyments, that creature things can -be intruded between the soul and God; and always, in some way, the meek -inherit the earth. "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's." - -The life of a recluse demanded, no doubt, as other lives do, a daily -self-denial as well as an initiatory self-devotion, and from Julian's -silence as to "bodily exercises" it cannot of course be assumed that -she did not give them, even beyond the incumbent rule of the Church, -though not in excess of her usual moderation, some part in her -Christian striving for mastery over self. Nor could this silence in -itself be taken as a proof that ascetic practices had not in her view a -preparatory function such as has by many of the Mystics been assigned -to them during a process of self-training in the earlier stages of -the soul's ascent to aptitude for mystical vision. It is, however, to -be noted that neither in regard to herself nor others do we hear from -Julian anything about an undertaking of this kind. To her the "special -Shewing" came as a gift, unearned, and unexpected: it came in an -abundant answer to a prayer for other things needed by every soul.[1] -Julian's desires for herself were for three "wounds" to be made more -deep in her life: contrition (in sight of sin), compassion (in sight -of sorrow) and longing after God: she prayed and sought diligently for -these graces, comprehensive as she felt they were of the Christian life -and meant for all; and with them she sought to have for herself, in -particular regard to her own difficulties, a sight of such truth as it -might "behove" her to know for the glory of God and the comfort of men. -According to Julian the "special Shewing" is a gift of comfort for all, -sent by God in a time to some soul that is chosen in order that it may -have, and so may minister, the comfort needed by itself and by others -(ix.). In her experience this Revelation, soon closed, is renewed by -influence and enlightenment in the more ordinary grace of its giver, -the Holy Ghost. But a still fuller sight of God shall be given, she -rejoices to think, in Heaven, to _all_ that shall reach that Fulfilment -of blessed life--the only mount of the soul set forth in this book. -Thither, by the high-road of Christ, all souls may go, making the steep -ascent through "longing and desire,"--longing that embodies itself in -desire towards God, that is, in Prayer. - -Nothing is said by Julian as to successive stages of Prayer, though -she speaks of different _kinds_ of prayer as the natural action of the -soul under different experiences or in different states of feeling -or "dryness." Prayer is _asking_ ("beseeching"), with submission -and acquiescence; or _beholding_, with the _self_ forgotten, yet -offered-up; it is a thanking and a praising in the heart that sometimes -breaks forth into voice; or a silent joy in the sight of God as -all-sufficient. And in all these ways "Prayer oneth the soul to God." - -To Julian's understanding the only Shewing of God that could ever be, -the highest and lowest, the first and the last, was the Vision of Him -as Love. "Hold thee therin and thou shalt witten and knowen more in the -same. But thou shalt never knowen ne witten other thing without end. -Thus was I lerid that Love was our Lord's menyng" (lxxxvi.). Alien to -the "simple creature" was that desert region where some of the lovers -of God have endeavoured to find Him,--desiring an extreme penetration -of thought (human thought, after all, since for men there is none -beyond it) or an utmost reach of worship (worship from fire and ice) in -proclaiming the Absolute One not only as All that _is_, but as All that -is _not_. Julian's desire was truly for God in Himself, through Christ -by the Holy Spirit of Love: for God in "His homeliest home," the soul, -for God in His City. Therefore she follows only the upward way of the -light attempered by grace, not turning back to the _Via Negativa_, that -downward road that starting from a conception of the Infinite "as the -antithesis of the finite,"[2] rather than as including and transcending -the finite, leads man to deny to his words of God all qualities known -or had by human, finite beings. Julian keeps on the way that is natural -to her spirit and to all her habits of thought as these may have been -directed by reading and conversation: it does not take her towards -that Divine Darkness of which some seers have brought report. Hers was -not one of those souls that would, and must, go silent and alone and -strenuous through strange places: "homely and courteous" she ever found -Almighty God in Jesus Christ our Lord. - -Julian's mystical sight was not a negation of human modes of thought: -neither was it a torture to human powers of speech nor a death-sentence -to human activities of feeling. "He hath no despite of that which He -hath made" (vi.). This seer of the littleness of all that is made saw -the Divine as containing, not as engulfing, all things that truly are, -so that in some way "all things that are made" because of His love last -ever. Certainly she passes sometimes beyond the language of earth, -seeing a love and a Goodness "more than tongue can tell," but she is -never inarticulate in any painful, struggling way--when words are -not to be found that can tell all the truth revealed, she leaves her -Lord's "meaning" to be taken directly from Him by the understanding of -each desirous soul. So is it with the Shewing of God as the Goodness -of everything that is good: "It is I--it is I" (xxvi.). Certainly -Julian looks both downward and upward, sees Love in the lowest depth, -far below sin, below even Mercy; sees Love as the highest that can -be, rising higher and higher far above sight, in skies that as yet -she is not called to enter: "abysses" there are, below and above, -like Angela di Foligno's "double abyss"; but here is no desert region -like that where Angela seems as "an eagle descending"[3] from heights -of unbreathable air, baffled and blinded in its assault on the Sun, -proclaiming the Light Unspeakable in anguished, hoarse, inarticulate -cries; here is a mountain-path between the abysses and the sound as of -a chorus from pilgrims singing: - - "Praise to the Holiest in the height - And in the depth be praise";-- - 'ALL IS WELL: ALL IS WELL: ALL SHALL BE WELL.' - -Moreover, Julian while guided by Reason is _led_ by the "Mind" of her -soul--pioneer of the path through the wood of darkness though Reason -is ready to disentangle the lower hindrances of the way; and where -her instructed soul "finds rest," those things that are hid from the -wisdom and prudence of Reason only are to its simplicity of obedience -revealed. Even as her Way is Christ-Jesus, and her walk by "longing -and desire" is of faith and effort, so the End and the Rest that she -seeks is the _fulness_ of God, in measure as the soul can enter upon -His fulness here and in that heavenly "oneing" with Him which shall -be by grace the "fulfilling" and "overpassing" of "Mankind." "The -Mid-Person willed to be Ground and Head of this fair End," "out of -Whom we ben al cum, in Whom we be all inclosid, into Whom we shall all -wyndyn, in Him fynding our full Hevyn in everlestand joye" (liii.).[4] -The soul that participates in God cannot be lost in God, the soul -that wends into oneness with God finds there at last its Self. Words -of the Spirit-nature fail to describe to man, as he is, this fulness -of personal life, and Julian falls back in one effort, daring in its -infantine concreteness of language, on acts of all the five senses to -symbolise the perfection of spiritual life that is in oneness with God -(xliii.). - -It may be noted that in these "Revelations" there is absolutely no -regarding of Christ as the "Bridegroom" of the individual soul: once -or twice Julian in passing uses the symbol of "the Spouse," "the Fair -Maiden," "His loved Wife," but this she applies only to the Church. In -her usual speech Christ when unnamed is our "Good" or our "Courteous" -Lord, or sometimes simply "God," and when she seeks to express -pictorially His union with men and His work for men, then the soul is -the Child and Christ is the Mother. In this symbolic language the love -of the Christian soul is the love of the Child to its Mother and to -each of the other children. - -Julian's Mystical views seem in parts to be cognate with those of -earlier and later systems based on Plato's philosophy, and especially -perhaps on his doctrine of Love as reaching through the beauties of -created things higher and higher to union with the Absolute Beauty -above, Which is God--schemes of thought developed before her and in -her time by Plotinus, Clement, Augustine, Dionysius "the Areopagite," -John the Scot, Eckhart, the Victorines,[5] Ruysbroeck, and others. -One does not know what her reading may have been, or with what people -she may have conversed. Possibly the learned Austin Friars that were -settled close to St Julian's in Conisford may have lent her books by -some of these writers, or she may have been influenced through talks -with a Confessor, or with some of the Flemish weavers of Norwich, -with whom Mystical views were not uncommon. Yet the Mysticism of the -"Revelations" is peculiarly of the English type. Less exuberant in -language than Richard Rolle, the Hermit of Hampole, Julian resembles -him a little in her blending of practical sense with devotional -fervour; but the writer to whom she seems, at any rate in some of -her phrases, most akin is Walter Hilton, her contemporary.[6] Hilton, -however, is very rich in quotations from the Bible, while Julian's -only direct quotations from any book--beyond her reference to the -legend of St Dionysius--are one that belongs to Christ: "I thirst" -(xvii.), and two that belong to the soul: "Lord, save me: I perish!" -"Nothing shal depart me from the charite of Criste" (xv.). (And indeed -these three are a fit embodiment of the Christian Faith as seen in -her "Revelations.") But Julian, while perhaps more speculative than -either of these typical English Mystics, is thoroughly a woman. Lacking -their literary method of procedure, she has a high and tender beauty -of thought and a delicate bloom of expression that are her own rare -gifts--the beauty of the hills against skies in summer evenings, of an -orchard in mornings of April. Again and again she stirs in the reader -a kind of surprised gladness of the simple perfection wherewith she -utters, by few and adequate words, a thought that in its quietness -convinces of truth, or an emotion deep in life. Of a little child -it has been said: "He thought great thoughts simply," and Julian's -deepness of insight and simplicity of speech are like the Child's.[7] -"For ere that He made us He loved us, and when we were made we loved -Him" (liii.). "I love thee, and thou lovest me, and our love shall -not be disparted in two" (lxxxii.). "_Thou art my Heaven._" "I had -liefer have been in that pain till Doomsday than have come to Heaven -otherwise than by Him." "Human is the vehemence," says a writer on -Julian's "Revelations," of that reiterated exclusion of all other -paths to joy. 'Me liked,' she says, 'none other heaven.' Once again -she touches the same octave, condensing in a single phrase which has -seldom been transcended in its brief expression of the possession that -leaves the infinity of love's desire still unsatiated: '_I saw Him -and sought Him, I had Him, and I wanted Him._' Fletcher's tenderness, -Ford's passion lose colour placed side by side with the utterances -of this worn recluse whose hands are empty of every treasure."[8] -Sometimes with her subject her language assumes a majestic solemnity: -"The pillars of Heaven shall tremble and quake" (lxxv.); sometimes it -seems to march to its goal in an ascent of triumphal measure as with -beating of drums: "The body was in the grave till Easter-morrow and -from that time He lay nevermore. For then was rightfully ended" ... -(close of Chap. li.). Generally, perhaps, the style in its movement -recalls the rippling yet even flow of a brook, cheerfully, sweetly -monotonous: "If any such lover be in earth which is continually kept -from falling, I know it not: for it was not shewed me. But this was -shewed: that in falling and in rising we are ever preciously kept in -one love" (lxxxii.). But now and again the listener seems to be caught -up to Heaven with song, as in that time when her "marvelling" joy in -beholding love "breaks out with voice":--"Behold and see! the precious -plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell, and braste her -bands, and delivered all that were there that belonged to the Court of -Heaven. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all -Earth and is ready to wash all creatures of sin which be of goodwill, -_have_ been and _shall_ be. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood -ascended up into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, -and there is in Him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father, and is -and shall be as long as it needeth; and ever shall be as long as it -needeth; and evermore it floweth in all Heavens, enjoying the salvation -of all mankind that _are_ there, and _shall_ be--fulfilling the Number -that faileth" (xii.). - -The Early English Mystics make good reading,--even as to the mere -manner of their writings we might say, if it were possible to separate -the style from the freshness of feeling and the pointedness of thought -that inform it; and though we do not, of course, have from Julian,--a -woman writing of the _Revelations of Love_,--the delightfully -trenchant, easy address of Hilton in his counsels as to how to scale -the _Ladder of Perfection_--counsels both wise and witty--yet Julian, -too, with all her sweetness, is full of this every day vigour and -common sense. And sometimes she puts things in a naïve, engaging way -of her own, grave and yet light--as if with a little understanding -smile to those to whom she is speaking:--"Then ween we, who _be_ not -all wise"; "That the outward part should draw the inward to assent _was -not shewed to me_, but that the inward draweth the outward by grace and -both shall be oned in bliss without end by the virtue of Christ, _this_ -was shewed" (lxi., xix.). - -Rolle, Hilton, and more especially the _Ancren Riwle_, give examples -of that custom of allegorical interpretation of Sacred Scriptures that -has fascinated many mystical authors, but one can scarcely suppose -that this method would ever have been a favourite one with Julian -even if she had been in the way of dealing with literary parallels -and references. For though she uses "examples," or illustrations -(sometimes calling them "shewings," or "bodily examples") and also -metaphorically figurative speech, she does not shew any interest in -elaborate, arbitrary symbolism. At any rate she is too directly simple, -it seems, and too much in the centre of realities, to be a writer that -(without constraint of following the lines of others) would take as -foundation for an argument or an exposition outward resemblances or -verbal connections, fit perhaps to illustrate or enforce the truth -in question, but lacking in relation to it that inward vital oneness -whereby certain things that to man seem below him may become symbolic -to him of others that he beholds as within or above him. - -Exposition by analysis has been reckoned to be characteristic of the -Schoolmen rather than of the Mystics,[9] though surely a mystical sight -may be served by an analytical process, and to see God in a part before -or while He is seen in the whole is effected not without analysis of -the subtlest kind. So we find analysis in Julian's sight (Rev. iii.): -"_I saw God in a point_"; and in her conclusions from this: "_By -which sight I saw that He is in all things_"; and in her immediate -raising, from this conclusion, of the question: "_What is sin?_" and -throughout her treatment of the problem in the scheme of her book. -Even for the merely formal task of distinguishing by number, Julian, -we see, will set briskly forward (though we may not feel much inclined -to follow) and often she begins her careful dissections with: "In this -I see"--four, five, or six things, as the case may be. Her speech of -spiritual Revelations is, however, helped out less by numbers than by -living and homely things of sight: the mother and the children and the -nurse; lords and servants, kings and their subjects (with echoes of -the language of Court and chivalry); the deep sea-ground, waters for -our service; clothing, in its warmth, grace and colour; the light that -stands in the night, the hazel-nut, the scales of herrings.[10] - -As one grows familiar with the "Revelations" one finds oneself in the -midst of a great scheme: a network of ideas that cross and re-cross -each other in a way not very clear at first, perhaps, but not really in -confusion. All through this treatise from its beginning, the Revelation -as a whole is in the mind of Julian; interpolation by another writer is -out of the question: the book is all of a piece, both as the expression -of one person, in mind and character, and as the setting forth of -a theological system. From the first we find Julian holding her -diverse threads of nature and mercy and grace for the fabric of love -she is weaving, and all through she guides them in and out, with no -hesitation, till at last the whole design lies fair before her, shewing -the _Goodness of God_. - -With regard to this scheme it may be noted that apart from her merely -intellectual pleasure in arithmetical methods of statement, Julian -shews throughout a mystical sense of numerical correspondences. Life, -both as being and action, is, to her sight, in its perfection full of -_trinities_; while there are _doubles_,--incident to its imperfection, -as we may put it, perhaps, though the book itself does not mark this -distinction in so many words--there are doubles wherein two things are -partially opposed and require for their reconciling a third that will -complete them into trinity. First, as the Centre of all, there is the -BLESSED TRINITY: All-Might, All-Wisdom, All-Love: one Goodness: FATHER -and SON and HOLY GHOST: one Truth. To the First, Second, and Third -Persons correspond the verbs MAY, for all-powerful freedom to do; CAN, -for all-skilful ability to do; WILL, for all-loving will to do. So also -"the Father _willeth_, the Son _worketh_, the Holy Ghost _confirmeth_." -Another nomenclature of the Holy Trinity is, Might, Wisdom, Goodness: -one Love; but that of Might, Wisdom, Love (employed by Abelard, -Aquinas, and the Schoolmen generally) is the usual one, while _Truth, -Wisdom, Love,_ is employed in reference to that Image of God wherein -Man is made: for man has not _created might_: his might is all in the -uncreated might of God. Man in his essential Nature is "made-trinity," -"like to the unmade Blessed Trinity"--a human trinity of truth, wisdom, -love; and these respectively _see, behold, and delight in_ the Divine -Trinity of Truth, Wisdom, Love. - -Man possesses _Reason,_ which _knows, Mind,_ or a feeling wisdom, which -_wits,_ and _Love,_ which _loves_. The making of Man by the Son of -God as Eternal Christ, is the work of _Nature_; the falling of Man is -"suffered" (allowed), and afterwards healed, by _Mercy_; the raising -of Man to a higher than his first state is the work of _Grace_. "In -Nature we have our Being; in Mercy we have our Increasing; in Grace -we have our Fulfilling." The work of grace by means of our natural -Reason enlightened by the Holy Ghost to see our sins, is _Contrition_; -by means of our naturally-feeling Mind, touched by the Holy Ghost -to behold the pain of the world, is _Compassion_; by means of our -nature-and grace-inspired Love, which loves our Maker and Saviour -(still by the separation of sin partially, painfully, hid from our -sight) is greater _Longing toward God_. This longing must become an -active "desire": for the chief work that we can do as fellow-workers -with God in achieving full oneness with Him is _Prayer_; of which there -are three things to understand: its _Ground_ is God by whose Goodness -it springeth in us; its _use_ is "to turn our will to the will of our -Lord"; its _end_ is "that we should be made one with and like to our -Lord in all things." And lastly we have for this life, both by nature -and grace, the comprehensive virtue of _Faith_, "in which all our -virtues come to us" and which has in its own nature three elements: -_understanding, belief,_ and _trust_. With Faith, which belongs perhaps -chiefly to Reason,--Faith is "nought else but a right understanding, -with true belief and sure trust, of our Being: that we are in God, and -God in us, Whom we see not," "A light by nature coming from our endless -Day, that is our Father, God" (liv., lxxxiii.)--is also _Hope_, which -belongs to our feeling Mind (our Remembrance) and to the work of Mercy -in this our fallen state: "Hope that we shall come to our Substance -(our high and heavenly nature) again." Moreover, "Charity keepeth us -in Hope and Hope leadeth us in Charity; and in the end all shall be -_Charity_" (lxxxv.). - -With these trinities and groups of threes are others, belonging to God -and man, mentioned successively in the closing chapters of the book: -three manners of God's Beholding (or Regard of Countenance): that of -the Passion, that of Compassion, and that of Bliss; three kinds of -longing God has: to teach us, to have us, to fulfil us; three things -that man needs in this life from God: Love, Longing, and Pity--"pity in -love," to keep him now, and "longing in the same love" to draw him to -heaven; three things by which man standeth in this life and by which -God is worshipped: "use of man's reason natural; common teaching of -Holy Church; inward gracious working of the Holy Ghost";--and last of -all, "three properties of God, in which the strength and effect of all -the Revelation standeth," "_Life, Love and Light_." - -Again, Julian speaks of things that are _double_, and this double state -seems to be one of imperfection, though she does not explicitly say -so. Man's nature, she says, was created "double": "_Substance_" or -Spirit essential from out of the Spirit Divine, and "_Sensuality_" or -spirit related to human senses and making human faculties, intellectual -and physical. These two, the Substance and Sense-soul, in their -imperfection of union through the frailty of created love (which needs -the divine in its might to support it), became partially sundered -by the failing of love. "For failing of love on our part, therefore, -is all our travail"--from that comes the falling, the dying, and the -painful travail between death from sin and life from God--both in the -race and the individual. But Christ makes the double into trinity: -for Christ is "the Mean [the medium] that keepeth the Substance and -Sense-soul together" in his Eternal, Divine-Human Nature, because of -His perfect love; and Christ-Incarnate in His Mercy, by this same -perfect love brings these two parts anew and more closely together; -and Christ uprisen, indwelling in the soul thus united, will keep them -forever together, in oneness growing with oneness to Him. Moreover, Man -being double also as "soul and body," needs to be "saved from double -death," and this salvation, given, is Jesus-Christ, who joined Himself -to us in the Incarnation and "yielded us up from the Cross with His -Soul and Body into His Father's hands." - -In a mere reading of the Book these repeated correspondences may be -felt as wearisome, formal, fantastic,--or rather they may seem so when, -as here, they are brought together and noted, for Julian herself simply -speaks of these different groups as they come in her theme. But when -one tries to follow the _thought_ of this book amongst the heights -and depths of the things that are seen and temporal and the things -unseen and eternal, these likenesses, found in all, seem to afford -one guidance and surety of footing, like steps cut out in a steep -and difficult path. And as one goes on, and the whole of the meaning -takes form, these significations of something all-prevailing give one a -partial understanding such as Julian perhaps may have had: the feeling, -the "Mind," of a certain half-caught measure in "all things that are," -a proportion, a oneness. We are amongst free nature's mountains, but -they do not rise haphazard: they shew a strange, a balanced beauty -of line and light and shade, as convincing, if not as clear in its -intention as the sunrise-lines and colouring of the euphrasy flower -at our feet. We hear as we walk the wandering sound of "the vagrant, -casual wind," but there is something in its rise and fall, and rising -again, that has kinship with the flow and ebb and onrush of the -lingering, punctual waves on the shore. _Sursum Corda._ - -[1] The soon-forgotten petition of Julian's youth for a "bodily -sickness" does not seem to have had any connection in her mind with -special Revelation: it was desired neither as in any way a sign -of invisible things nor as a direct means of beholding them. And -probably, as a matter of fact, the sickness that was granted helped -her in the way that she had desired, helped her to the sight of the -Revelation, not directly, but by drawing her spirit to that utter -dependence on and trust in God that is death's first lesson for all, -that uttermost self-devotion to God that is life's last exercise. -This spiritual state, with all that through years had gone before -of feeling and thought and life's experience, made her ready to -be shewn with special largeness and clearness God's love: how it -filled the empty place of sin and pain and sorrow with its divine -fulness. As to the "bodily sight" introducing the Revelation, a -sight of "parts of the Passion," which may be compared with "The XV. -Oos"--'_Orationes_'--Passion-prayers each beginning with '_O_' (_v. -Hora_ of Sarum), it was recognised by Julian herself, even at the -time of her seeing it, as being a sight of things "not in substance -or nature." In this recognition it was proved to be neither _mental -delusion_ nor mere "raving" delirium. But it would, it seems, be -natural that in her weakness of body and her exaltation of spirit (so -tense that the strength of her self-surrender to death seemed to cast -her back upon bodily life in the painless world between the two) some -sort of _physical illusion_ should be brought about by her prolonged -gaze upon the Face of the Crucifix, and that in her desire to enter -into the sufferings of the Passion as fully as those friends of her -Lord's that beheld it, Julian thus gazing in the midst of night's -shadows and the dim light of dawn should seem to herself to behold -the sacred drops, depicted beneath the painted or sculptured Crown of -Thorns, flow down "right plenteously." Julian gave thanks for this -and all the "bodily sight" as a gift from God. By Him sickness and -illusion, as well as things evil, are "suffered" to come, and by Him -Revelation is given according to sundry times in diverse manners. Gain -of the spirit through failure of the body--and no less by illusions of -fever than by trance-state visions their seers speak of, when Death -passes the Spirit half through the gates--would indeed be accordant -with the truth of the Shewing that came to Julian, how man is raised -through shame and death into glory and life, since in the weakness of -failing men the strength of Christ is made perfect. - -[2] See the Bampton Lectures on _Christian Mysticism_. W. R. Inge. (p. -111.) - -[3] See the Introduction to _Le Livre des Visions et Instructions de la -Bienheureuse Angèle de Foligno_, traduit par Ernest Hello. Paris, 1895. - -[4] - - "When that which drew from out the boundless deep - Turns again home." - -[5] _v._ pp. 27, 57, 126, 156, 168; _cf._ Dionysius: "_On Divine -Names._" Cap. iv. (tr. by Parker). S. Aug. _Conf._: b. i. ch. 2; iii. -7; iv. 10-16; vii. 12-18. - -[6] See the extract from Hilton given as a note to chapter lvii. - -[7] _Little Flowers of a Childhood_ (in Mem. J. D. W., Oct. 1894--March -1899). Some of the thoughts of children,--some of the rising thoughts -of a very little child who, like Julian, faced the darkness of time -(steadfast as Dürer's pilgrim Knight, gentle as Chaucer's,) and -beheld on his journey the shining of the Eternal City,--might be set -beside words of the Mystics as shewing, perhaps, through their very -simplicity, the oneness of truth that there is to see, and the oneness -of souls that see it. Here are convictions that the Cause of love, -felt within, "must be Jesus' Good Spirit"; comfort in discovering of -death's unreality (for if only the body, not the spirit, dies, "Oh, -then it is only _pretending-dying_!"); a flash of discernment, perhaps, -as to the passing away of lifeless evil since although, to the child, -indeed "it is a pity that some one did not come and kill the devil; -and then he would be dead," yet he has his own eschatology: "Well, -when _we_ are all dead, the devil will be dead too." More significant -is a sudden overawed realisation of the great universe (setting pause -to his own run round in play), one door to a quick perception in the -child's devout spirit of analogy binding truths unseen by sense: "Is -this world always going round, _now_?" ('Yes.') "It stays still! -still!--Jesus is looking down now: we don't see Him."--Here, too, are -habitual references to the things that are _meant to be_,--musings -over the goodness and knowledge, the braveness and courtesy "meant to -be" in a _man_; and here is a grateful, trusting sense of the real -'kindness' of 'wild' creatures and of hurting remedies. Many of those -simple utterances, careless yet arresting like a blackbird's song, and -personal with the ardent love and clear reason of a child faithfully -living and bravely dying, seem to attest a kinship with seers of -truth to whom longer trial has offered a sterner strength of complex -thinking, for wider service here, but who, although they may have -learnt thus '_more_' in the knowledge of love, "shall never know nor -learn _other_ thing without end."--"I understood none higher stature in -this life than childhood." - - "It is not growing like a tree - In bulk, doth make man better be. - - * * * * * - - A lily of a day - Is fairer far in May, - Although it fall and die that night, - It was the plant and flower of Light." - -For all of the Company of saints have the sight of One Vision, and be -it in the steadfast fulfilment of labour, or from out of the merriment -of play,--through the strong, bright peace of endurance, or the silent -acquiescence of the will, led along valleys of darkness,--or again in -some swift rush of prayer into the morning light,--_all_ of the saints, -the babe and the ancient, beholding "the Blissful Countenance" say -"with one voice": "IT IS WELL." "_Amen. Amen._" - -[8] "Catholic Mystics of the Middle Ages." _Edinburgh Review_, October -1896. - -[9] In reference to introspection M. Maeterlinck speaks of Ruysbroeck -as "the one analytical mystic." _Ruysbroeck and the Mystics_, p. 19. - -[10] In ch. vii. de Cressy's "the Seal of her Ring" gives a misreading. - - - - - PART III - - THE THEME OF THE BOOK - -"The phase of thought or feeling which we call Mysticism has its -origin in ... that dim consciousness of the _beyond_ which is part of -our nature as human beings.... Mysticism arises when we try to bring -this higher consciousness into relation with the other contents of our -minds. Religious Mysticism may be defined as the attempt to realise -the presence of the living God in the soul and in nature, or, more -generally, as the attempt to realise in thought and feeling, the -immanence of the temporal in the eternal, and of the eternal in the -temporal."--W. R. Inge, _Christian Mysticism_. The Bampton Lectures for -1900, p. 4. - - -"What is Paradise? All things that are; for all are goodly and -pleasant and therefore may fitly be called a Paradise. It is said -also that Paradise is an outer Court of Heaven. Even so this world -is an outer court of the eternal, or of Eternity, and especially -whatever in time, or any temporal creature manifesteth or remindeth -us of God or Eternity; for the creature is a guide and a path to God -and Eternity."[1] "God is althing that is gode, as to my sight," says -Julian, "and the godenes that althing hath, it is He" (viii.). - -"_Truth seeth God_," and every man exercising the human gift of -Reason may in the sight and in the seeing of truths, attain to some -sight of God as Truth. But "_Wisdom beholdeth God_," and although -the enlightenment of the Spirit of Wisdom for the discernment of -vital truth is a grace that is granted in needful measure to him that -seeks to be guided by it, it is perhaps those receivers of grace that -are mystics by nature and habit that are the most ready in reaching -forward while still on earth to Wisdom's fullest and most immediate -beholding of God as All in all. For theirs in the largest (and it -may be the highest) efficiency, and in the fullest accordance with -man's first gift of "Reason Natural," is the further gift that Julian -calls "_Mind_": the gift of a certain spiritual sensitiveness whereby -they are quick to take impression of eternal things unseen (seeing -them either within or beyond the things of time that are seen) with -surrender of self to partake of their life. For in this Beholding of -Wisdom, response of the heart in purity and insight of the imagination -in faith enhance each other, while the vision of the soul through both -takes clearness. - -The mystic, who sees the wide-ruling oneness of God with all that is -good--and thus, as the Mystics say, with all that _is_,--may begin at -any point the beholding of Goodness and therein the beholding of God. -"He is in the mydde poynt of all thyng, and all He doeth" (xi.). It is -in the way of those thus fully endowed for the reaching to truth in its -highest wisdom here, while they walk amongst the many manifestations of -earth, to take them as delicate partial signs instinct with a single -meaning. Here is mystical perception:-- - - "To see a world in a grain of sand, - And a heaven in a wild flower; - Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, - And eternity in an hour";[2] - -by a blackbird's sudden song overhear, "in woodlands within," a joy -out of the heart of the Life of life.[3] Speaking of the spiritual -sight Julian relates: "I saw God in a point.--by which sight I saw -that He is in all things." To the mystical soul, quiet to listen to -"the music of the spheres," all sweet accordant sounds are singing -_Holy, Holy, Holy_; to the mystical soul, "full of eyes within"--like -those _Creatures of Life_ seen on the plain by the prophet of the Law -of life as renewed for Hope, and seen in the heights by the herald -of the Evangel of life as fulfilled in Love--all symmetrical sights -are as doors that are opened in Heaven. But it is most of all in the -music and the symmetry made of adverse life and death by the power of -love, as this is seen from highest to lowest, from lowest to highest, -that the Revelation of God as Love that is All in all is received. And -looking thereon in the highest manifestation, the manifestation of -Christ, which is made for all men, the mystics meet other beholders, -who are not called "mystics," yet who have not merely in greater or -less degree, with them, the common gift of Reason, but, after their -different manner and in their own share, the gift of the feeling -"Mind." For both from the seeing of Truth and from the beholding of -Wisdom comes the "holy wondering delight in God" that is simply delight -of love in Love. So they of the East and they of the West sit down -together to partake of the Bread and the Wine of the Table of God in -His Kingdom. - -There is no other than one Food of the Divine Life consecrated and -made ready and offered to man for his human spirit to feed on; -but the Christian mystic finds an offering of that Food, which is -the sanctified Life of the Christ of God, not only in its constant -presentment to the spirit alone, by the Spirit of God through Christ. -To him, as to other Christians, the sight and the offering of the -Life in God is given in that memorial, mediate, expectant Sacrament -consecrated for the spirit's nurture through those elected Symbols of -sense that are the most perfect and sacred symbols because in their -earlier, natural use they most immediately minister to the whole human -life on earth of the Giver and of the receivers. But along with this -chosen Sacrament, and as one with it, there is shewn to the mystic the -Life Divine in diverse manners of working: he sees God's Christ from -afar, _fore-sees_ the Eucharistic Sacrament of His most sacred Death -and Life, _now_ raised in the Bread and the Wine on high,--seeing its -promise low in the ground in the earliest, ageless life of the wheat -and the vine: seed cast away, bruised corn of wheat, and dying Body, -and broken Bread, and daily obedience; a hidden root, crushed fruit of -the vine, and Blood poured forth, and uplifted Wine, and joy of Love -over Death: one Life. - -Sometimes there is for the mystics a partaking of these lesser -"wayside sacraments," sometimes a turning aside from their symbols; -sometimes the old song of life in the lower creation awakens singing, -sometimes it scarcely is heard. But always the _spirit_ of nature's -signs as interpreted in Man, above all in Christ, lays its claim on -the soul; always as sung by the chorus of human spirits that live on -the "Righteousness, Peace, and Joy" of the Will of God, the New Song -of Life through Death has in it a summons and receives from one and -another here, passing through much tribulation, its fuller concord of -human achievement, or at least the desirous _Amen_. So whether the -mystic dwell much or little with the sights and sounds of sense, those -things that are seen and heard by the _soul_ bear to him the command -of his home, and the merest doorway glimpses, the echoes most distant, -making their proffer of more and more within and beyond, say _Come_. - - "I give you the end of a golden string: - Only wind it into a ball, - It will lead you in at Heaven's Gate, - Built in Jerusalem wall."[4] - -(Although this "following on to know," this winding of the truth -caught hold of into a "perfect round" of thought and will and life, is -probably not more easy for the mystics than for other people. - - "Amore, amor, tu sei cerchio rotondo!"[5]) - -God is in all; but "our soul may never have rest in things that are -beneath itself" (lxvii.). "Well I wot," says Julian, "that heaven and -earth and all that is made is great and large, fair and good," yet "all -that is made" is seen as a little thing, the size of a hazel nut, held -in the palm of her hand, when along with it her spiritual sight beholds -the Maker. And though we may find the Maker in all things, we find -Him, both as Maker and Restorer, first and best, First and Last, in -the soul. There He is _Alpha_, there _Omega_. "It is readier to us to -come to the knowing of God than to know our own Soul" (in its fullest -powers). "For our soul is so deep-grounded in God and so endlessly -treasured, that we may not come to the knowing thereof till we have -first knowing of God, which is the Maker, to whom it is oned." And yet, -"we may never come to full knowing of God till we know first clearly -our own soul" (lvi.). The knowledge begins with God, but it begins -with Him in the lowest place of the soul rescued from sin by mercy and -entered by grace. "For Himself is nearest and meekest, highest and -lowest, and doeth all" (lxxx.). To the soul that looks on Christ a -remembrance rises of its own "fair nature" made in His image; yet "our -Lord of His mercy sheweth us our sin and our feebleness by the sweet -gracious light of Himself" (lxxviii.). Thus in the working of grace -the soul comes to the knowledge both of its higher and lower parts. -For in finding in itself both a natural response to the working of -grace by its love and its longing after God, and a contrariness to the -goodness of grace by its often failing and falling, it experiences both -the action of the "Godly Will" (which is within it as a part of, and -a gift from, its higher nature, "the Substance") and the action of a -"beastly will" (from the simple animal nature) which can will no moral -good and which, "failing of love," falls into sin: whereby comes pain, -with all the "travail" of good and evil in conflict during the course -of restoration. But it is only when the Sense-soul (wherein the higher -will must overcome the lower) is at last brought up to heaven, enriched -by all the profits of tribulation, and is united to the Substance -waiting there, "hid with Christ in God," that we come to the perfect -knowledge of God. For that knowledge, perfect in kind though always -growing, can only begin when, being in our "full powers" and "all fully -holy," we come to know clearly our own united perfected Soul. This -seems to be Julian's view (lvi., etc.). - -Julian says elsewhere that we have in us here such a "medley" of good -and evil that sometimes we hardly know of others or of ourselves -wherein we stand, but that each "holy assent" that we make (by the -Godly Will) to the grace and will of God, is a witness that we are of -God. A witness to our sonship, it might be said; and perhaps, taking -Julian's view for the time, we might think that as the Lost Son "came -to himself," so the soul comes to the consciousness of the Godly Will; -that as he arose and came to his Father and found Him, or rather was -found by his Father, so the soul receives the healing of Christ in -Mercy and the leading of the Holy Ghost in Grace; and that as at last, -the son not only found his father but found his lost sonship--yet a -better sonship than ever he had known before--so the soul comes at last -to find, more and more fully, that new sonship which is of its nature, -yet is more than its nature. For it finds the nature oneness which by -creation it had with the Son of God, enhanced and for ever sustained by -grace. - -Sometimes, truly, the Mystical doctrine leads by tracks that are not -easily followed, but it is perhaps only when her views are regarded in -single parts, that any harm could be found in Julian's statements--all -qualified as they are by her "as to my sight." At first indeed it may -startle one to read of her saints that are known in the Church and in -Heaven "by their sins," to hear that the wounds left by sin are made -"medicines" on earth and turned to "worships" in Heaven; but then -we remember the joy that shall be in Heaven over "one sinner that -repenteth," the love that loves much because much is forgiven. And yet -we remember the little children in _their_ high faith and love and -innocent days; and of such is the Kingdom of God. But the Child, with -many "fair virtues," albeit imperfect, was likewise Julian's type of -the Christian soul: "I understood no higher stature in this life than -Childhood." - -"To know our own soul"--it behoveth us to know our own soul--our -high-nature soul, which is enclosed in God, and also our soul on the -earth which Christ-Jesus inhabits, which has in it the "medley": "we -have in us our Lord Jesus uprisen, we have in us the wretchedness and -the mischief of Adam's falling, dying" (lii.). But elsewhere Julian -gives this name "our own soul" to the Church, seeing the Church -likewise as the dwelling and working-place of Christ (lxii.). She has -been speaking of the Divine Wisdom being as it were the Mother of the -soul, and now she seems to lead us to the Church as to the Nursery -where He tends His children. "For one single person may oftentimes -be broken, but the whole Body of Holy Church was never broken, nor -ever shall be, without end. And therefore a sure thing it is, a good -and a gracious, to will meekly and mightily to be fastened to our -Mother, Holy Church, that is Christ Jesus. For the Food of Mercy that -is His dearworthy blood and precious water is plenteous to make us -fair and clean; the sweet gracious hands of our Mother be ready and -diligently about us. For He in all this working useth the office of a -kind nurse that hath not else to do but to entend about the salvation -of her child" (lxi.). Each soul is indeed the soul of a person and -most intimately knows itself in its personal experience, through which -indeed alone it can come to knowledge of others. Yet the single soul -knows itself _best_ in the souls of all the saints, in the fellowship -of the "Blessed Common," where every virtue is found, not in each, at -this time, but in _all_--not now in the perfect height nor the fairest -flowering, but at growth in that ground where each plant holds some -likeness to Christ. - -With Julian the Christian Faith is not a thing added to the Mystical -sight: these are, as again and again she says, seen both as one. It -is the _inherent_ Christianity of her system that makes her teaching -always, in a large way, practical. For the system came at first to -be seen by prayerful searching made out of her practical need of an -answer to the problem of sin and sorrow; the Mystical Vision came with -"contrition, compassion, and longing after God," those wounds that -her contrite, pitiful, longing heart had desired should be made more -deep in her life. It is through the work of grace that Julian reaches -back to the gift of nature, its ground; and from the depths of this -root-ground she rises soon again to the "springing and spreading" -grace. So in the First of her Shewings the "higher" truth is seen: -"we are all in Him beclosed," but in the Last--the conclusion and -confirmation of all--the lower, yet nearer, truth, which _all_ may -know: "and He is beclosed in us." And speaking of this dwelling within -the soul she speaks of His working us all into Him: "in which working -He willeth that we be His helpers, giving to Him all our entending, -learning His lores, keeping His laws, desiring that all be done that He -doeth; truly trusting In Him" (lvii.). - -Julian had prayed to feel Christ's dying pains, if it should be God's -will, in order that she might feel compassion, and the visionary sight -of His pain in the Face of the Crucifix filled her with pain as it grew -upon her. "How might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is -all my life, all my bliss, and all my joy suffer?" Yet the Shewing of -Pain was but the introduction to, and for a time the accompaniment of, -the Revelation; the Revelation, itself, as a whole, was of Love--the -Goodness or Active Love of God. So the First Shewing, as the Ground of -all the rest, was a large view of this Goodness as the Ground of all -Being. Although through these earlier Shewings the Saviour's bodily -pain is felt by Julian so fully in "mind" that she feels it indeed -as if it were bodily anguish she bore, it is in this very experience -that the shewing of Joy is made to her spirit. So when in the opening -of the Revelation she tells of beholding the Passion of Christ, her -first unexpected word is of sudden joy from the inner sight of the -Love that God is: the sight of the Trinity:--"And in the same Shewing -suddenly the Trinity fulfilled my heart most of joy. (For where JESUS -appeareth, the blessed Trinity is understood, as to my sight.)" And -even as Julian finds afterwards that the Last Word of the Revelation is -the same as the First: "_Thou shalt not be overcome_," so the opening -Sight already shews her that which shall be revealed all through, for -learning of "more in the same," and uplifts her heart to the fulness -of joy that is shewn at the close. For she feels that this shock, as -it were, of Revelation--this sudden joy of seeing Love in the midst of -earth's evil, beyond and beneath and in the pain that is passing, is -the entrance into the joy of the Lord. "Suddenly the Trinity fulfilled -my heart with utmost joy.--And so I understood it shall be in heaven -without end to all that shall come there" (iv.). So at the close, when -the vision was not of the Love Divine in that bending Face beneath the -Crown of Thorns, but of the human love that shall spring up to meet -the Divine out of the lowness of earth,--the vision of how from this -body of death, as from an unsightly, shapeless, and stagnant mass of -quagmire, there "sprang a full fair creature, a little Child, fully -shapen and formed, agile and lively, whiter than lily; which swiftly -glided up into heaven"--the spiritual shewing to the soul is this: -"_Suddenly thou shalt be taken from all thy pain ... and thou shalt -come up above and thou shalt have me ... and thou shalt be fulfilled -of love and of bliss_" (lxiv.). And so in that early experience of -Julian's when in her love, abandoned to pity and worship, she would -not look up to Heaven from the Cross, it was also the inward sight by -the higher part of her soul of the higher part of Christ's life, that -Heavenly Love that could only rejoice, that overcame her frailty of -flesh unwilling to suffer, and made her choose "only Jesus in weal and -in woe." "Thou art my Heaven" (xix.-lv.). "All the Trinity wrought -in the Passion of Jesus Christ," though only the Son of the Virgin -suffered, and in seeing this, Julian saw "the Bliss of Christ's works," -"the joy that is in the blissful Trinity [by reason] of the Passion of -Christ"; "the Father willing all, the Son working all, the Holy Ghost -confirming all." - -This complexity of the Divine-Human life in the Son of God, this union -in Christ Jesus of serene untouched blessedness in the heavenly regions -of His spirit with His bearing, in the active joy of a "glad giver," -all the sin and sorrow of the world, is revealed as the comfort and -confidence of man, whose own deepest experience is love that suffers, -whose highest worship therefore must be of Love that is strong to -suffer. - -It was a double joy that was shewn in Christ besides the bliss of the -impassible Godhead, which is the bliss of Love without all time and -beyond all deeds. For there was joy in the Passion itself: "_If I -might suffer more, I would suffer more_," and joy in its fruits: "_If -thou art pleased, I am pleased_." Thus, too, we are told of three ways -in which our Lord would have us behold His Passion: first, "the hard -pains He suffered on earth"; second, "the love that made Him to suffer -passeth as far all His pains as Heaven is above earth"; third, "the joy -and the bliss that made Him to be well-satisfied in it."--"With a glad -countenance He looked unto His wounded Side, rejoicing" (xxii., xxiii., -xxiv.). - -From the sight of Love that is higher than pain comes the sight of -Love that is deeper than sin. Julian had had the mystical shewing that -God is all that is good,[6] and is only good, is the life of all that -is, and doeth all that is done, and she had reasoned, as others before -her had reasoned, that therefore "sin hath no substance" and "sin is -no deed." But perhaps it is those that are most concerned with God in -creature things, that suffer most shaking from the sight of evil. Those -that seek God's Kingdom in this present world, finding "the dark places -of the earth" full of the habitations of cruelty, have continually the -enemy as with a sword in their bones saying within them: "Where is now -thy God?" "I saw," says Julian, "that He is in all things. I beheld and -considered, with a soft dread, and thought: _What is sin?_" (xi.). So -also it is immediately after the coming of the mystical Shewing made -"yet more highly": "_It is I, it is I, it is I that am all_," that the -memory of her own experience is brought to her and she sees how in -her longings after God, who is all the time so close about us, around -us and within,--she had always been hindered from seeing and reaching -Him fully by the darkening, disturbing power of sin. "And so I looked -generally upon us all, and methought: _If sin had not been, we should -have all been clean, and like to our Lord as He made us_" (xxvii.). -Thus came again the stirring of that old question over which "afore -this time often I wondered," with "mourning and sorrow," "why the -beginning of sin was not letted--for then, methought, all should have -been well." - -To this darkness, crying to God, the light came first as by a soft -general dawning of comfort for faith. "_Sin is behoveable_ (it behoved -that sin should be suffered to rise) _but all shall be well, and all -shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well._" Yet Julian, -unable to take comfort to her heart over that which was still so dark -to her intellect, stands "beholding things general, troublously and -mourning," saying thus in her thoughts: "_Ah good Lord, how might all -be_ well, for the great hurt that is come by sin to the creature?" -(xxix.). - -The answer to this double question as to sin and pain is the central -theme of the Revelation, though much is still hidden and much is but -dimly revealed as yet to faith. In brief account, the sight, enough -for us now, is this: "Mercy, by love, suffereth us to fail [of love] -in measure, and in as much as we fail, in so much we die: for it needs -must be that we die in so much as we fail of the sight and feeling of -God that is our life.... And grace worketh our dreadful failing into -plenteous, endless solace, and grace worketh our shameful falling -into high, worshipful rising; and grace worketh our sorrowful dying -into holy, blissful life" (xlviii.). "By the assay of this falling we -shall have an high marvellous knowing of love in God, without end. For -strong and marvellous is that love that may not and will not be broken -for trespass. And this is one understanding of our profit. Another -is the lowness and meekness that we shall get by the sight of our -falling" (lxi.). "And by this meek knowing after this manner, through -contrition and grace, we shall be broken from all that is not our Lord. -And then shall our blessed Saviour perfectly heal us and one us to Him" -(lxxviii.). - -_Theodidacta, Profunda, Ecstatica_--so Julian has been designated; -perhaps she might in fuller truth be called _Theodidacta, Profunda, -Evangelica_. She is indeed a mystic, evangelical, practical. With all -her fellow-Christians and in the most deeply personal concern she -looks with a tender mind on the redeeming work of God by Christ in the -"glorious satisfaction" ("_Asseth_"), and in fervent response of love -and thankfulness trusts in the blessed Passion of Christ, and in His -sure keeping, and in all the restoring, fulfilling work by the Holy -Ghost. But after the Mystical manner she seeks "the beyond": that is, -while in no way leaving the works of mercy and grace she seeks to go -back to the ground or source of them, the Goodness of God,--yes, to God -Himself. "I could not have perceived of the part of Mercy but as it -were alone in Love." "The Passion was a noble worshipful deed done in a -time, but Love was without beginning, is, and shall be without ending." - -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. - -So in the Mediæval story,[8] the highest Mystical Vision, the sight of -the Holy Grail, comes only to him that is pure from self, and looks on -the bleeding wound that sin has left in man, and is compassionate, and -gives himself to service and healing.--_Can ye_ drink _of the Cup I -drank of?_--Love's Cup that is Death and Life.-- - - Wine of Love's joy I see thy cup - Red to the trembling brim - With Life outpoured, once lifted up, - I drink, remembering Him.-- - -It is the mourners who are comforted: those that bear griefs of their -own, or bear griefs of others fully, do not despair, though the mere -onlooker may well despair. Thus the compassionate Julian's vision is of -_Comfort_--comfort not for herself "in special," but for "the general -Man"--for all her fellow-Christians. She who had long time mourned -for the hurt that is come by sin to the creature, came to the sight -of comfort not by turning her eyes away but by deeper compassion that -found through the very wounds the healing of Love on earth, the glory -of Love in Heaven. She was "filled with compassion for the Passion of -Christ," and thus she saw _His joy_; so afterwards, she tells, "I was -fulfilled in part with compassion of all mine even-Christians, for that -well, well-beloved people that shall be saved. For God's servants, -Holy Church, shall be shaken in sorrow and anguish and tribulation -in this world, as men shake a cloth in the wind. And as to this our -Lord answered in this manner: A great thing shall I make hereof in -Heaven of endless worship and everlasting joys. Yea so far forth as -this I saw: that our Lord joyeth of the tribulations of His servants, -with ruth and compassion." "For He saith: _I shall wholly break you -of your vain affections and of your vicious pride: and after that I -shall together gather you, and make you mild and meek, clean and holy, -by oneing to me_" (xxviii.). Sin is indeed "the sharpest scourge," -"viler and more painful than hell, without comparison," "an horrible -thing to see for the loved soul that would be all fair and shining in -the sight of God, as Nature and Grace teacheth." And darkness, which -overhangs the soul while here it is "meddling with any part of sin," -"so that we see not clearly the Blissful Countenance of our Lord," is -a lasting, life-long "natural penance" from God, the feeling of which -indeed does not depart with actual sinning: "for ever the more clearly -that the soul seeth this Blissful Countenance by grace of loving, the -more it longeth to see it in fulness" (lxxii.). All this is in man's -experience, with many other pains--pains which in individual lives have -no proportionate relation to sin, though, in general, "sin is cause of -pain" and "pain purgeth."--("_For I tell thee, howsoever thou do thou -shalt have woe_"), (lxxvii., xxvii.). But the Comfort Revealed shews -how sin, which "hath no part of being" and "could not be known but by -the pain it is cause of," (sin which in this view may be compared to -the nails of the Passion--mere dead matter, though with power to wound -unto death for a time the blessed Life), sin, which is failure of human -love,--leaves, notwithstanding all its horror, an opening for a fuller -influx of Divine love and strength.[9] And as to _darkness_, "seeking -is as good as beholding, for the time that God will suffer the soul to -be in travail" (x.). And as to tribulation of every kind, "the Passion -of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His blessed -will" (xxvii.). - -The parts may seem to come by chance and to be "amiss," but the whole, -and in the whole each part, is ordered. "And when we be all brought -up above, then shall we see clearly in God the secret things which be -now hid to us. Then shall none of us be stirred to say: _Lord, if it -had been thus, then it had been full well_: but we shall all say with -_one_ voice: _Lord, blessed mayst Thou be, for it is thus: it is well; -and now we see verily that all things are done as it was then ordained -before that anything was made_" (xi., lxxxv.). "Moreover He that shall -be our bliss when we are there, is our Keeper while we are here"; and -the Last Word of the Revelation is the same as the First; "_Thou shalt -not be overcome._" "He said not: _Thou shalt not be tempested, thou -shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be distressed_; but He said: -_Thou shalt not be overcome._" - -This is God's comfort. And that here, meanwhile, we should take His -comfort is Julian's chief desire and instruction. For Julian, who -speaking so much of sin as a strange and troubling sight, yet gives as -examples of sin only a slothful mistrusting despondency,--speaks indeed -of faith and hope and charity, compassion and meekness, but scarcely -_exhorts_ except to the cheerful enduring of tribulation. So she gives -counsel as to "rejoicing more in His whole love than sorrowing in our -often fallings"; as to "living gladly and merrily for love's sake" -in our penance of darkness (lxxii.-lxxxi.). And in general, for all -experiences of life, "It is God's will that we take His promises and -His comfortings as largely and as mightily as we may take them, and -also He willeth that we take our abiding and our troubles as lightly as -we may take them, and set them at nought" (lxiv., lxv., xv.). - -"We are all one in comfort," says Julian, "all the gracious comfort -was for all mine even-Christians." Sin separates, pain isolates, but -salvation and comfort unite. - -And lastly, in this mystical vision of the oneness of man with God -in Christ, man is seen not only as united in himself in the diverse -parts of his nature, and as one with his fellow man, but as joined -to that which is below him. How often of one good and another, as of -that fair and sacred "service of the Mother"--"nearest, readiest, and -surest"--"in the creatures by whom it is done," do we hear Julian's -confident word of Sacramental declaration: "_It is Christ_." "For God -is all that is good, as to my sight, and God hath made all that is -made: and he that loveth generally all his even-Christians for God, he -loveth all that is. For in Mankind that shall be saved is comprehended -all: that is to say, all that is made and the Maker of all. For in Man -is God, and God is in all. And I hope," adds Julian, in words that -are fitting to take for her courteous, her tender, "_Good Speed_" ere -we pass to her book--altogether like her as they are, even to the -careful, conditional "if" (for _nothing,_ not even comfort, behoves -to be "overdone much"), "I hope by the grace of God he that beholdeth -it thus shall be truly taught and mightily comforted, if he needeth -comfort" (ix.). - -_Deus ubique est, et totus ubique est._ All things are gathered up in -Man, and Man is gathered up in Christ; and Christ is gathered up in the -Bosom of the Father. So the world of the lower creation makes promise: -_All things are yours_; and the Church says over its offering, lifted -up: _Ye are Christ's_; and from the stillness the voice of peace is -heard: _And Christ is God's_. "All the promises of God in HIM are _Yea_ -and in HIM _Amen_, unto the glory of God by us." All the promises of -God: the blossom that floated to the ground; "the lily of a day" that -"fell and died that night"; the "little Child, whiter than lily, that -swiftly glided up into Heaven"--all the utterances silenced here--in -Him are _Yea_ and in Him _Amen: Yea_ on earth and _Amen_ for ever. "_He -turneth the shadow of death into the morning._" - - _May_ 1901. - -[1] _Theologia Germanica_, Chap. 1. - -[2] Blake's Poems. - -[3] _Memorabilia of Jesus_, by W. Peyton, p. 33. - -[4] Gilchrist's _Life and Works of William Blake_, vol. ii. - -[5] _Amor de Caritade_, by Jacopone da Todi (formerly ascribed to S. -Francis of Assisi). - -[6] "_Quid me interrogas de bono? Unus est bonus, Deus._"--S. Matt. -xix. 17. - -[8] _A Key to Wagner's Parsifal_, by H. von Wolzogen, tr. by Ashton -Ellis. - -[9] Goodness is Active Love--love that moves. Drawing back from the -finite creature, as a wave from the shore, it "suffers" sin's void -to appear. But this lack of itself is allowed for the time, that so -returning again in its force, to which evil is nothing, it may cover -the desolate nature with deepness and highness and fulness unknown -before. (See lvii.). - - - - - REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE - - CHAPTER I - - "A Revelation of Love--in Sixteen Shewings" - - -This is a Revelation of Love that Jesus Christ, our endless bliss, made -in Sixteen Shewings, or Revelations particular. - -Of the which the First is of His precious crowning with thorns; -and therewith was comprehended and specified the Trinity, with the -Incarnation, and unity betwixt God and man's soul; with many fair -shewings of endless wisdom and teachings of love: in which all the -Shewings that follow be grounded and oned.[1] - -The Second is the changing of colour of His fair face in token of His -dearworthy[2] Passion. - -The Third is that our Lord God, Allmighty Wisdom, All-Love, right as -verily as He hath made everything that is, all-so verily He doeth and -worketh all-thing that is done. - -The Fourth is the scourging of His tender body, with plenteous shedding -of His blood. - -The Fifth is that the Fiend is overcome by the precious Passion of -Christ. - -The Sixth is the worshipful[3] thanking by our Lord God in which He -rewardeth His blessed servants in Heaven. - -The Seventh is [our] often feeling of weal and woe; (the feeling -of weal is gracious touching and lightening, with true assuredness -of endless joy; the feeling of woe is temptation by heaviness and -irksomeness of our fleshly living;) with ghostly understanding that we -are kept all as securely in Love in woe as in weal, by the Goodness of -God. - -The Eighth is of the last pains of Christ, and His cruel dying. - -The Ninth is of the pleasing which is in the Blissful Trinity by the -hard Passion of Christ and His rueful dying: in which joy and pleasing -He willeth that we be solaced and mirthed[4] with Him, till when we -come to the fulness in Heaven. - -The Tenth is, our Lord Jesus sheweth in love His blissful heart even -cloven in two, rejoicing. - -The Eleventh is an high ghostly Shewing of His dearworthy Mother. - -The Twelfth is that our Lord is most worthy Being. - -The Thirteenth is that our Lord God willeth we have great regard to -all the deeds that He hath done: in the great nobleness of the making -of all things; and the excellency of man's making, which is above all -his works; and the precious Amends[5] that He hath made for man's sin, -turning all our blame into endless worship.[6] In which Shewing also -our Lord saith: _Behold and see! For by the same Might, Wisdom, and -Goodness that I have done all this, by the same Might, Wisdom, and -Goodness I shall make well all that is not well; and thou shalt see -it._ And in this He willeth that we keep us in the Faith and truth of -Holy Church, not desiring to see into His secret things now, save as it -belongeth to us in this life. - -The Fourteenth is that our Lord is the Ground of our Prayer. Herein -were seen two properties: the one is rightful prayer, the other is -steadfast trust; which He willeth should both be alike large; and thus -our prayer pleaseth Him and He of His Goodness fulfilleth it. - -The Fifteenth is that we shall suddenly be taken from all our pain and -from all our woe, and of His Goodness we shall come up above, where we -shall have our Lord Jesus for our meed and be fulfilled with joy and -bliss in Heaven. - -The Sixteenth is that the Blissful Trinity, our Maker, in Christ Jesus -our Saviour endlessly dwelleth in our soul, worshipfully ruling and -protecting all things, us mightily and wisely saving and keeping, for -love; and we shall not be overcome of our Enemy. - -[1] made one, united. - -[2] precious, honoured. - -[3] honour-bestowing. - -[4] made glad. - -[5] MS. "Asseth" = Satisfaction, making-enough. - -[6] honour, glory. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - "A simple creature unlettered.--Which creature afore desired three - gifts of God" - - -These Revelations were shewed to a simple creature unlettered,[1] the -year of our Lord 1373, the Thirteenth day of May. Which creature [had] -afore desired three gifts of God. The First was mind of His Passion; -the Second was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years of age; the -Third was to have of God's gift three wounds. - -As to the First, methought I had some feeling in the Passion of Christ, -but yet I desired more by the grace of God. Methought I would have -been that time with Mary Magdalene, and with other that were Christ's -lovers, and therefore I desired a bodily sight wherein I might have -more knowledge of the bodily pains of our Saviour and of the compassion -of our Lady and of all His true lovers that saw, that time, His pains. -For I would be one of them and suffer with Him. Other sight nor shewing -of God desired I never none, till the soul were disparted from the -body. The cause of this petition was that after the shewing I should -have the more true mind in the Passion of Christ. - -The Second came to my mind with contrition; [I] freely desiring that -sickness [to be] so hard as to death, that I might in that sickness -receive all my rites of Holy Church, myself thinking that I should die, -and that all creatures might suppose the same that saw me: for I would -have no manner of comfort of earthly life. In this sickness I desired -to have all manner of pains bodily and ghostly that I should have if -I should die, (with all the dreads and tempests of the fiends) except -the outpassing of the soul. And this I meant[2] for [that] I would be -purged, by the mercy of God, and afterward live more to the worship of -God because of that sickness. And that for the more furthering[3] in my -death: for I desired to be soon with my God. - -These two desires of the Passion and the sickness I desired with a -condition, saying thus: _Lord, Thou knowest what I would,--if it be -Thy will that I have it--; and if it be not Thy will, good Lord, be not -displeased: for I will nought but as Thou wilt._ - -For the Third [petition], by the grace of God and teaching of Holy -Church I conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life: -that is to say, the wound of very contrition, the wound of kind[4] -compassion, and the wound of steadfast[5] longing toward God.[6] And -all this last petition I asked without any condition. - -These two desires aforesaid passed from my mind, but the third dwelled -with me continually. - -[1] "that cowde no letter" = unskilled in letters. - -[2] thought of, designed. - -[3] MS. "speed." - -[4] _i.e._ natural. - -[5] MS. "wilful" = earnest, with set will. - -[6] For these wounds see xvii. p. 40, xxvii. p. 56, xxviii., lxxii. and -xxxix. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - "I desired to suffer with Him" - - -And when I was thirty years old and a half, God sent me a bodily -sickness, in which I lay three days and three nights; and on the fourth -night I took all my rites of Holy Church, and weened not to have lived -till day. And after this I languored forth[1] two days and two nights, -and on the third night I weened oftentimes to have passed;[2] and so -weened they that were with me. - -And being in youth as yet, I thought it great sorrow to die;--but for -nothing that was in earth that meliked to live for, nor for no pain -that I had fear of: for I trusted in God of His mercy. But it was to -have lived that I might have loved God better, and longer time, that I -might have the more knowing and loving of God in bliss of Heaven. For -methought all the time that I had lived here so little and so short in -regard of that endless bliss,--I thought [it was as] nothing. Wherefore -I thought: _Good Lord, may my living no longer be to Thy worship!_[3] -And I understood by my reason and by my feeling of my pains that I -should die; and I assented fully with all the will of my heart to be at -God's will. - -Thus I dured till day, and by then my body was dead from the middle -downwards, as to my feeling. Then was I minded to be set upright, -backward leaning, with help,--for to have more freedom of my heart to -be at God's will, and thinking on God while my life would last. - -My Curate was sent for to be at my ending, and by that time when he -came I had set my eyes, and might[4] not speak. He set the Cross before -my face and said: _I have brought thee the Image of thy Maker and -Saviour: look thereupon and comfort thee therewith_. - -Methought I was well [as it was], for my eyes were set uprightward unto -Heaven, where I trusted to come by the mercy of God; but nevertheless I -assented to set my eyes on the face of the Crucifix, if I might;[5] and -so I did. For methought I might longer dure to look even-forth[6] than -right up. - -After this my sight began to fail, and it was all dark about me in -the chamber, as if it had been night, save in the Image of the Cross -whereon I beheld a common light; and I wist not how. All that was -away from[7] the Cross was of horror to me, as if it had been greatly -occupied by the fiends. - -After this the upper[8] part of my body began to die, so far forth -that scarcely I had any feeling;--with shortness of breath. And then I -weened in sooth to have passed. - -And in this [moment] suddenly all my pain was taken from me, and I was -as whole (and specially in the upper part of my body) as ever I was -afore. - -I marvelled at this sudden change; for methought it was a privy working -of God, and not of nature. And yet by the feeling of this ease I -trusted never the more to live; nor was the feeling of this ease any -full ease unto me: for methought I had liefer have been delivered from -this world. - -Then came suddenly to my mind that I should desire the second wound of -our Lord's gracious gift: that my body might be fulfilled with mind -and feeling of His blessed Passion. For I would that His pains were -my pains, with compassion and afterward longing to God. But in this I -desired never bodily sight nor shewing of God, but compassion such as a -kind[9] soul might have with our Lord Jesus, that for love would be a -mortal man: and therefore I desired to suffer with Him. - -[1] "I langorid forth" = languished on. - -[2] I thought often that I was about to die. - -[3] Or it may be, at in de Cressy's version: _May my living be no -longer to Thy worship?_ - -[4] _i.e._ could. - -[5] _i.e._ could. - -[6] straight forward. - -[7] MS. "beside." - -[8] MS. "over." - -[9] "kinde," true to its nature that was made after the likeness of -the Creating Son of God, the type and the Head of Mankind,--therefore -loving, and sympathetic with Him, and compassionate of His earthly -sufferings: Who, Himself, for Love's sake, suffered as man. - - - - - _THE FIRST REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER IV - - "I saw ... as it were in the time of His Passion.... And in the same - Shewing suddenly the Trinity filled my heart with utmost joy" - - -In this [moment] suddenly I saw the red blood trickle down from under -the Garland hot and freshly and right plenteously, as it were in the -time of His Passion when the Garland of thorns was pressed on His -blessed head who was both God and Man, the same that suffered thus for -me. I conceived truly and mightily that it was Himself shewed it me, -without any mean.[1] - -And in the same Shewing suddenly the Trinity fulfilled my heart most -of joy. And so I understood it shall be in heaven without end to all -that shall come there. For the Trinity is God: God is the Trinity; the -Trinity is our Maker and Keeper, the Trinity is our everlasting love -and everlasting joy and bliss, by our Lord Jesus Christ. And this was -shewed in the First [Shewing] and in all: for where Jesus appeareth, -the blessed Trinity is understood, as to my sight. - -And I said: _Benedicite Domine!_ This I said for reverence in my -meaning, with mighty voice; and full greatly was astonied for wonder -and marvel that I had, that He that is so reverend and dreadful will be -so homely with a sinful creature living in wretched flesh. - -This [Shewing] I took for the time of my temptation,--for methought by -the sufferance of God I should be tempted of fiends ere I died. Through -this sight of the blessed Passion, with the Godhead that I saw in -mine understanding, I knew well that _It_ was strength enough for me, -yea, and for all creatures living, against all the fiends of hell and -ghostly temptation. - -In this [Shewing] He brought our blessed Lady to my understanding. I -saw her ghostly, in bodily likeness: a simple maid and a meek, young of -age and little waxen above a child, in the stature that she was when -she conceived. Also God shewed in part the wisdom and the truth of her -soul: wherein I understood the reverent beholding in which she beheld -her God and Maker, marvelling with great reverence that He would be -born of her that was a simple creature of His making. And this wisdom -and truth: knowing the greatness of her Maker and the littleness of -herself that was made,--caused her to say full meekly to Gabriel: _Lo -me, God's handmaid!_ In this sight[2] I understood soothly that she -is more than all that God made beneath her in worthiness and grace; -for above her is nothing that is made but the blessed [Manhood][3] of -Christ, as to my sight. - -[1] intermediary--thing or person. See vi., xix., xxxv., lv. - -[2] Either: _In this sight_--Shewing--_of her;_ or _In this her -sight_,--insight--beholding (vii., xliv., lxv.). See Rev. xi. ch. xxv., -"For our Lord shewed me nothing in special but our Lady Saint Mary; -and her He shewed three times." The first shewing is here (a _sight_ -referred to in ch. vii. and elsewhere); the second, in ch. xviii.; the -third, in ch. xxv. - -[3] This word is in S. de Cressy's edition. - - - - - CHAPTER V - - "God, of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself;--only in Thee I have all" - - -In this same time our Lord shewed me a spiritual[1] sight of His homely -loving. - -I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us: -He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all -encloseth[2] us for tender love, that He may never leave us; being to -us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding. - -Also in this He shewed me a little thing, the quantity of an hazel-nut, -in the palm of my hand; and it was as round as a ball. I looked -thereupon with eye of my understanding, and thought: _What may this -be?_ And it was answered generally thus: _it is all that is made._ -I marvelled how it might last, for methought it might suddenly -have fallen to naught for little[ness]. And I was answered in my -understanding: _It lasteth, and ever shall [last] for that God loveth -it._ And so All-thing hath the Being by the love of God. - -In this Little Thing I saw three properties. The first is that God -made it, the second is that God loveth it, the third, that God keepeth -it. But what is to me verily the Maker, the Keeper, and the Lover,--I -cannot tell; for till I am Substantially oned[3] to Him, I may never -have full rest nor very bliss: that is to say, till I be so fastened to -Him, that there is right nought that is made betwixt my God and me. - -It needeth us to have knowing of the littleness of creatures and to -hold as nought[4] all-thing that is made, for to love and have God that -is unmade. For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart -and soul: that we seek here rest in those things that are so little, -wherein is no rest, and know not our God that is All-mighty, All-wise, -All-good. For He is the Very Rest. God willeth to be known, and it -pleaseth Him that we rest in Him; for all that is beneath Him sufficeth -not us. And this is the cause why that no soul is rested till it is -made nought as to all[5] things that are made. When it is willingly -made nought, for love, to have Him that is all, then is it able to -receive spiritual rest. - -Also our Lord God shewed that it is full great pleasance to Him that -a helpless soul come to Him simply and plainly and homely. For this -is the natural yearnings of the soul, by the touching of the Holy -Ghost (as by the understanding that I have in this Shewing): _God, of -Thy Goodness, give me Thyself: for Thou art enough to me, and I may -nothing ask that is less that may be full worship to Thee; and if I ask -anything that is less, ever me wanteth,--but only in Thee I have all._ - -And these words are full lovely to the soul, and full near touch they -the will of God and His Goodness. For His Goodness comprehendeth all -His creatures and all His blessed works, and overpasseth[6] without -end. For He is the endlessness, and He hath made us only to Himself, -and restored us by His blessed Passion, and keepeth us in His blessed -love; and all this of His Goodness. - -[1] MS. "ghostly," and so, generally, throughout the MS. - -[2] "Becloseth," and so generally. - -[3] _i.e._ in essence united. - -[4] "to nowtyn." - -[5] "nowtid of." de Cressy: "_naughted_ (emptied)." - -[6] surpasseth. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - "The Goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to the - lowest part of our need" - - -This Shewing was made to learn our soul wisely to cleave to the -Goodness of God. - -And in that time the custom of our praying was brought to mind: how we -use for lack of understanding and knowing of Love, to take many means -[whereby to beseech Him].[1] - -Then saw I truly that it is more worship to God, and more very delight, -that we faithfully[2] pray to Himself of His Goodness and cleave -thereunto by His Grace, with true understanding, and steadfast by love, -than if we took all the means that heart can think. For if we took all -these means, it is too little, and not full worship to God: but in His -Goodness is all the whole, and _there_ faileth right nought. - -For this, as I shall tell, came to my mind in the same time: We pray -to God for [the sake of] His holy flesh and His precious blood, His -holy Passion, His dearworthy death and wounds: and all the blessed -kindness,[3] the endless life that we have of all this, is His -Goodness. And we pray Him for [the sake of] His sweet Mother's love -that Him bare; and all the help we have of her is of His Goodness. And -we pray by His holy Cross that he died on, and all the virtue and the -help that we have of the Cross, it is of His Goodness. And on the same -wise, all the help that we have of special saints and all the blessed -Company of Heaven, the dearworthy love and endless friendship that -we have of them, it is of His Goodness. For God of His Goodness hath -ordained means to help us, full fair and many: of which the chief and -principal mean is the blessed nature that He took of the Maid, with all -the means that go afore and come after which belong to our redemption -and to endless salvation. Wherefore it pleaseth Him that we seek Him -and worship through means, understanding that He is the Goodness of all. - -For the Goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to -the lowest part of our need. It quickeneth our soul and bringeth it on -life, and maketh it for to waxen in grace and virtue. It is nearest in -nature; and readiest in grace: for _it_ is the same grace that the soul -seeketh, and ever shall seek till we know verily that He hath us all in -Himself enclosed. - -For He hath no despite of that He hath made, nor hath He any disdain to -serve us at the simplest office that to our body belongeth in nature, -for love of the soul that He hath made to His own likeness. - -For as the body is clad in the cloth, and the flesh in the skin, and -the bones in the flesh, and the heart in the whole,[4] so are we, soul -and body, clad in the Goodness of God, and enclosed. Yea, and more -homely: for all these may waste and wear away, but the Goodness of God -is ever whole; and more near to us, without any likeness; for truly our -Lover desireth that our soul cleave to Him with all its might, and that -we be ever-more cleaving to His Goodness. For of all things that heart -may think, this pleaseth most God, and soonest speedeth [the soul]. - -For our soul is so specially loved of Him that is highest, that it -overpasseth the knowing of all creatures: that is to say, there is no -creature that is made that may [fully] know[5] how much and how sweetly -and how tenderly our Maker loveth us. And therefore we may with grace -and His help stand in spiritual beholding, with everlasting marvel of -this high, overpassing, inestimable[6] Love that Almighty God hath -to us of His Goodness. And therefore we may ask of our Lover with -reverence all that we will. - -For our natural[7] Will is to have God, and the Good Will of God is to -have us; and we may never cease from willing nor from longing till we -have Him in fullness of joy: and then may we no more desire. - -For He willeth that we be occupied in knowing and loving till the time -that we shall be fulfilled in Heaven; and therefore was this lesson of -Love shewed, with all that followeth, as ye shall see. For the strength -and the Ground of all was shewed in the First Sight. For of all things -the beholding and the loving of the Maker maketh the soul to seem less -in his own sight, and most filleth him with reverent dread and true -meekness; with plenty of charity to his even-Christians.[8] - -[1] MS. "To make many menys." So in _Letter_ 385 of _The Paston -Letters_, 1422-1509 A.D.--"Our Soverayn Lord hath wonne the feld, & -uppon the Munday next after Palmesunday, he was resseved in York with -gret solempnyte & processyons. And the Mair & Comons of the said cite -mad ther menys to have grace be [by] Lord Montagu & Lord Barenars, -which be for the Kyngs coming in to the said cite, which graunted hem -[them] grace." _Letter_ 472 (from Margaret Paston).--"Your ryth wele -willers have kounselyd me that I xuld kownsell you to maken other menys -than ye have made, to other folks, that wold spede your matyrs better -than they have done thatt ye have spoken to therof" (ed. by James -Gairdner, vol i.). See ch. iv. p. 8. - -[2] _i.e._ trustingly. - -[3] bond as of relationship. - -[4] "the bouke" = the bulk, the thorax. - -[5] "witten." - -[6] or, as in S. de Cressy, "immeasurable." The word, however, looks -like "oninestimable" with the "on" blotted or erased. - -[7] "kindly." - -[8] "to his even cristen"--fellow-Christians ("even" = equal). -_Hamlet_, Act v. Sc. i. "great folk ... more than their even Christian." - - - - - CHAPTER VII - - "The Shewing is not other than of faith, nor less nor more" - - -And [it was] to learn us this, as to mine understanding, [that] our -Lord God shewed our Lady Saint Mary in the same time: that is to say, -the high Wisdom and Truth _she_ had in beholding of her Maker so great, -so holy, so mighty, and so good. This greatness and this nobleness of -the beholding of God fulfilled her with reverent dread, and withal she -saw herself so little and so low, so simple and so poor, in regard -of[1] her Lord God, that this reverent dread fulfilled her with -meekness. And thus, by this ground [of meekness] she was fulfilled with -grace and with all manner of virtues, and overpasseth all creatures. - -In all the time that He shewed this that I have told now in spiritual -sight, I saw the bodily sight lasting of the plenteous bleeding of the -Head. The great drops of blood fell down from under the Garland like -pellots, seeming as it had come out of the veins; and in the coming -out they were brown-red, for the blood was full thick; and in the -spreading-abroad they were bright-red; and when they came to the brows, -then they vanished; notwithstanding, the bleeding continued till many -things were seen and understood. The fairness and the lifelikeness -is like nothing but the same; the plenteousness is like to the drops -of water that fall off the eaves after a great shower of rain, that -fall so thick that no man may number them with bodily wit; and for the -roundness, they were like to the scale of herring, in the spreading on -the forehead. These three came to my mind in the time: pellots, for -roundness, in the coming out of the blood; the scale of herring, in the -spreading in the forehead, for roundness; the drops off eaves, for the -plenteousness innumerable. - -This Shewing was quick and life-like, and horrifying and dreadful, -sweet and lovely. And of all the sight it was most comfort to me that -our God and Lord that is so reverend and dreadful, is so homely and -courteous: and this most fulfilled me with comfort and assuredness of -soul. - -And to the understanding of this He shewed this open example:-- - -It is the most worship that a solemn King or a great Lord may do a poor -servant if he will be homely with him, and specially if he sheweth -it _himself_, of a full true meaning, and with a glad cheer, both -privately and in company. Then thinketh this poor creature thus: _And -what might this noble Lord do of more worship and joy to me than to -shew me that am so simple this marvellous homeliness? Soothly it is -more joy and pleasance to me than [if] he gave me great gifts and were -himself strange in manner._ - -This bodily example was shewed so highly that man's heart might be -ravished and almost forgetting itself for joy of the great homeliness. -Thus it fareth with our Lord Jesus and with us. For verily it is the -most joy that may be, as to my sight, that He that is highest and -mightiest, noblest and worthiest, is lowest and meekest, homeliest and -most courteous: and truly and verily this marvellous joy shall be shewn -us all when we see Him. - -And this willeth our Lord that we seek for and trust to, joy and -delight in, comforting us and solacing us, as we may with His grace -and with His help, unto the time that we see it verily. For the most -fulness of joy that we shall have, as to my sight, is the marvellous -courtesy and homeliness of our Father, that is our Maker, in our Lord -Jesus Christ that is our Brother and our Saviour. - -But this marvellous homeliness may no man fully see in this time of -life, save he have it of special shewing of our Lord, or of great -plenty of grace inwardly given of the Holy Ghost. But faith and belief -with charity deserveth the meed: and so it is had, by grace; for in -faith, with hope and charity, our life is grounded. The Shewing, made -to whom that God will, plainly teacheth the same, opened and declared, -with many privy points belonging to our Faith which be worshipful to -know. And when the Shewing which is given in a time is passed and hid, -then the faith keepeth [it] by grace of the Holy Ghost unto our life's -end. And thus through the Shewing it is not other than of faith, nor -less nor more; as it may be seen in our Lord's teaching in the same -matter, by that time that it shall come to the end. - -[1] _i.e._ seen at the same time as, or in comparison with. See the -note to ch. iv. p. 9. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - - "In all this I was greatly stirred in charity to my fellow-Christians - that they might see and know the same that I saw" - - -And as long as I saw this sight of the plenteous bleeding of the Head I -might never cease from these words: _Benedicite Domine!_ - -In which Shewing I understood six things:--The first is, the tokens of -the blessed Passion and the plenteous shedding of His precious blood. -The second is, the Maiden that is His dearworthy Mother. The third is, -the blissful Godhead that ever was, is, and ever shall be: Almighty, -All-Wisdom, All-Love. The fourth is, all-thing that He hath made.--For -well I wot that heaven and earth and all that is made is great and -large, fair and good; but the cause why it shewed so little to my sight -was for that I saw it in the presence of Him that is the Maker of all -things: for to a soul that seeth the Maker of all, all that is made -seemeth full little.--The fifth is: He that made all things for love, -by the same love keepeth them, and shall keep them[1] without end. -The sixth is, that God is all that is good, as to my sight, and the -goodness that each thing hath, it is He.[2] - -And all these our Lord shewed me in the first Sight, with time and -space to behold it. And the bodily sight stinted,[3] but the spiritual -sight dwelled in mine understanding, and I abode with reverent dread, -joying in that I saw. And I desired, as I durst, to see more, if it -were His will, or else [to see for] longer time the same. - -In all this I was greatly stirred in charity to mine even-Christians, -that they might see and know the same that I saw: for I would it were -comfort to them. For all this Sight was shewed [with] general [regard]. -Then said I to them that were about me: _It is to-day Doomsday with -me_. And this I said for that I thought to have died. (For that day -that a man dieth, he is judged[4] as shall be without end, as to mine -understanding.) This I said for that I would they might love God the -better, for to make them to have in mind that this life is short, as -they might see in example. For in all this time I weened to have died; -and that was marvel to me, and troublous partly: for methought this -Vision was shewed for them that should live. And that which I say of -me, I say in the person of all mine even-Christians: for I am taught in -the Spiritual Shewing of our Lord God that He meaneth so. And therefore -I pray you all for God's sake, and counsel you for your own profit, -that ye leave the beholding of a poor creature[5] that it was shewed -to, and mightily, wisely, and meekly behold God that of His courteous -love and endless goodness would shew it generally, in comfort of us -all. For it is God's will that ye take it with great joy and pleasance, -as if Jesus had shewed it to you all. - -[1] "it is kept, and shall be." - -[2] "God is althing that is gode, as to my sight, and the godenes that -al thing hath, it is he." - -[3] _i.e._ ceased. - -[4] "deemed." - -[5] "a wretch." - - - - - CHAPTER IX - - "If I look singularly to myself, I am right nought" - - -Because of the Shewing I am not good but if I love God the better: and -in as much as ye love God the better, it is more to you than to me. I -say[1] not this to them that be wise, for they wot it well; but I say -it to you that be simple, for ease and comfort: for we are all one -in comfort. For truly it was not shewed me that God loved me better -than the least soul that is in grace; for I am certain that there be -many that never had Shewing nor sight but of the common teaching of -Holy Church, that love God better than I. For if I look singularly to -myself, I am right nought; but in [the] general [Body] I am, I hope, in -oneness of charity with all mine even-Christians. - -For in this oneness standeth the life of all mankind that shall be -saved. For God is all that is good, as to my sight, and God hath made -all that is made, and God loveth all that He hath made: and he that -loveth generally all his even-Christians for God, he loveth all that -is. For in mankind that shall be saved is comprehended all: that is to -say, all that is made and the Maker of all. For in man is God, and God -is in all. And I hope by the grace of God he that beholdeth it thus -shall be truly taught and mightily comforted, if he needeth comfort. - -I speak of them that shall be saved, for in this time God shewed me -none other. But in all things I believe as Holy Church believeth, -preacheth, and teacheth. For the Faith of Holy Church, the which I -had aforehand understood and, as I hope, by the grace of God earnestly -kept in use and custom, stood continually in my sight: [I] willing and -meaning never to receive anything that might be contrary thereunto. And -with this intent I beheld the Shewing with all my diligence: for in all -this blessed Shewing I beheld it as one in God's meaning.[2] - -All this was shewed by three [ways]: that is to say, by bodily sight, -and by word formed in mine understanding, and by spiritual sight. But -the spiritual sight I cannot nor may not shew it as openly nor as fully -as I would. But I trust in our Lord God Almighty that He shall of His -goodness, and for your love, make you to take it more spiritually and -more sweetly than I can or may tell it. - -[1] "sey" = _say_ or _tell_. - -[2] _i.e._ The teaching of the Faith and the teaching of the special -Shewing were both from God and were seen to be at one. - - - - - _THE SECOND REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER X - - "God willeth to be seen and to be sought: to be abided and to be - trusted" - - -And after this I saw with bodily sight in the face of the crucifix -that hung before me, on the which I gazed continually, a part of His -Passion: despite, spitting and sullying, and buffetting, and many -languoring pains, more than I can tell, and often changing of colour. -And one time I saw half the face, beginning at the ear, over-gone with -dry blood till it covered to the mid-face. And after that the other -half [was] covered on the same wise, the whiles in this [first] part -[it vanished] even as it came. - -This saw I bodily, troublously and darkly; and I desired more bodily -sight, to have seen more clearly. And I was answered in my reason: _If -God will shew thee more, He shall be thy light: thee needeth none but -Him._ For I saw Him sought.[1] - -For we are now so blind and unwise that we never seek God till He -of His goodness shew Himself to us. And when we aught see of Him -graciously, then are we stirred by the same grace to seek with great -desire to see Him more blissfully. - -And thus I saw Him, and sought Him; and I had Him, I wanted Him. And -this is, and should be, our common working in this [life], as to my -sight. - -One time mine understanding was led down into the sea-ground, and there -I saw hills and dales green, seeming as it were moss-be-grown, with -wrack and gravel. Then I understood thus: that if a man or woman were -under the broad water, if he might have sight of God so as God is with -a man continually, he should be safe in body and soul, and take no -harm: and overpassing, he should have more solace and comfort than all -this world can tell. For He willeth we should believe that we see Him -continually though that to us it seemeth but little [of sight]; and in -this belief He maketh us evermore to gain grace. For He will be seen -and He will be sought: He will be abided and he will be trusted. - -This Second Shewing was so low and so little and so simple, that my -spirits were in great travail in the beholding,--mourning, full of -dread, and longing: for I was some time in doubt whether it was a -Shewing. And then diverse times our good Lord gave me more sight, -whereby I understood truly that it was a Shewing. It was a figure and -likeness of our foul deeds' shame that our fair, bright, blessed Lord -bare for our sins: it made me to think of the Holy Vernacle[2] at -Rome, which He hath portrayed with His own blessed face when He was in -His hard Passion, with steadfast will going to His death, and often -changing of colour. Of the brownness and blackness, the ruefulness -and wastedness of this Image many marvel how it might be, since that -He portrayed it with His blessed Face who is the fairness of heaven, -flower of earth, and the fruit of the Maiden's womb. Then how might -this Image be so darkening in colour[3] and so far from fair?--I desire -to tell like as I have understood by the grace of God:-- - -We know in our Faith, and believe by the teaching and preaching of Holy -Church, that the blessed Trinity made Mankind to[4] His image and to -His likeness. In the same manner-wise we know that when man fell so -deep and so wretchedly by sin, there was none other help to restore -man but through Him that made man. And He that made man for love, by -the same love He would restore man to the same bliss, and overpassing; -and like as we were like-made to the Trinity in our first making, our -Maker would that we should be like Jesus Christ, Our Saviour, in heaven -without end, by the virtue of our again-making. - -Then atwix these two, He would for love and worship of man make -Himself as like to man in this deadly life, in our foulness and our -wretchedness, as man might be without guilt. This is that which is -meant where it is said afore: it was the image and likeness of our foul -black deeds' shame wherein our fair, bright, blessed Lord God was hid. -But full certainly I dare say, and we ought to trow it, that so fair a -man was never none but He, till what time His fair colour was changed -with travail and sorrow and Passion and dying. Of this it is spoken in -the Eighth Revelation, where it treateth more of the same likeness. And -where it speaketh of the Vernacle of Rome, it meaneth by [reason of] -diverse changing of colour and countenance, sometime more comfortably -and life-like, sometime more ruefully and death-like, as it may be seen -in the Eighth Revelation. - -And this [dim] vision was a learning, to mine understanding, that the -continual seeking of the soul pleaseth God full greatly: for it may -do no more than seek, suffer and trust. And this is wrought in the -soul that hath it, by the Holy Ghost; and the clearness of finding, -_it_ is of His special grace, when it is His will. The seeking, with -faith, hope, and charity, pleaseth our Lord, and the finding pleaseth -the soul and fulfilleth it with joy. And thus was I learned, to mine -understanding, that seeking is as good as beholding, for the time that -He will suffer the soul to be in travail. It is God's will that _we -seek Him_, to the beholding of Him, for by _that_[5] He shall shew us -Himself of His special grace when He will. And how a soul shall have -Him in its beholding, He shall teach Himself: and that is most worship -to Him and profit to thyself, and [the soul thus] most receiveth of -meekness and virtues with the grace and leading of the Holy Ghost. For -a soul that only fasteneth it[self] on to God with very trust, either -by seeking or in beholding, it is the most worship that it may do to -Him, as to my sight. - -These are two workings that may be seen in this Vision: the one is -seeking, the other is beholding. The seeking is common,--that every -soul may have with His grace,--and ought to have that discretion and -teaching of the Holy Church. It is God's will that we have three -things in our seeking:--The first is that we seek earnestly and -diligently, without sloth, and, as it may be through His grace, without -unreasonable[6] heaviness and vain sorrow. The second is, that we abide -Him steadfastly for His love, without murmuring and striving against -Him, to our life's end: for it shall last but awhile. The third is that -we trust in Him mightily of full assured faith. For it is His will that -we know that He shall appear suddenly and blissfully to all that love -Him. - -For His working is privy, and He willeth to be perceived; and His -appearing shall be swiftly sudden; and He willeth to be trusted. For He -is full gracious[7] and homely: Blessed may He be! - -[1] In de Cressy's version: "I saw Him and sought Him." - -[2] The Handkerchief of S. Veronica. - -[3] "so discolouring." - -[4] _i.e. according to_. - -[5] "for be that" = _for by [means of] that_; or possibly the Old -English and Scottish 'forbye that' = _besides that_. - -[6] "onskilful" = without discernment or ability; unpractical. S. de -Cressy, "unreasonable." - -[7] "hend" = at hand; (handy, dexterous;) courteous, gentle, urbane. - - - - - _THE THIRD REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XI - -"All thing that is done, it is well done: for our Lord God doeth all." - "Sin is no deed" - - -And after this I saw God in a Point,[1] that is to say, in mine -understanding,--by which sight I saw that He is in all things. - -I beheld and considered, seeing and knowing in sight, with a soft -dread, and thought: _What is sin?_ - -For I saw truly that God doeth all-thing, be it never so little. And I -saw truly that nothing is done by hap nor by adventure, but all things -by the foreseeing wisdom of God: if it be hap or adventure in the sight -of man, our blindness and our unforesight is the cause. For the things -that are in the foreseeing wisdom of God from without beginning, (which -rightfully and worshipfully and continually He leadeth to the best -end,) as they come about fall to us suddenly, ourselves unwitting; and -thus by our blindness and our unforesight we say: these be haps and -adventures. But to our Lord God they be not so. - -Wherefore me behoveth needs to grant that all-thing that is done, it -is well-done: for our Lord God doeth all. For in this time the working -of creatures was not shewed, but [the working] of our Lord God in the -creature: for He is in the Mid-point of all thing, and all He doeth. -And I was certain He doeth no sin. - -And here I saw verily that sin is no deed: for in all this was not sin -shewed. And I would no longer marvel in this, but beheld our Lord, what -He would shew. - -And thus, as much as it might be for the time, the rightfulness of -God's working was shewed to the soul. - -Rightfulness hath two fair properties: it is right and it is full. -And so are all the works of our Lord God: thereto needeth neither the -working of mercy nor grace: for they be all rightful: wherein faileth -nought. - -But in another time He gave a Shewing for the beholding of sin nakedly, -as I shall tell: where He useth working of mercy and grace. - -And this vision was shewed, to mine understanding, for that our -Lord would have the soul turned truly unto the beholding of Him, -and generally of all His works. For they are full good; and all His -doings are easy and sweet, and to great ease bringing the soul that is -turned from the beholding of the blind Deeming of man unto the fair -sweet Deeming of our Lord God. For a man beholdeth some deeds well -done and some deeds evil, but our Lord beholdeth them not so: for as -all that hath being in nature is of Godly making, so is all that is -done, in property of God's doing. For it is easy to understand that -the best deed is well done: and so well as the best deed is done--the -highest--so well is the least deed done; and all thing in its property -and in the order that our Lord hath ordained it to from without -beginning. For there is no doer but He. - -I saw full surely that he changeth never His purpose in no manner of -thing, nor never shall, without end. For there was no thing unknown to -Him in His rightful ordinance from without beginning. And therefore -all-thing was set in order ere anything was made, as it should stand -without end; and no manner of thing shall fail of that point. For He -made all things in fulness of goodness, and therefore the blessed -Trinity is ever full pleased in all His works.[2] - -And all this shewed He full blissfully, signifying thus: _See! I am -God: see! I am in all thing: see! I do all thing: see! I lift never -mine hands off my works, nor ever shall, without end: see! I lead all -thing to the end I ordained it to from without beginning, by the same -Might, Wisdom and Love whereby I made it. How should any thing be -amiss?_ - -Thus mightily, wisely, and lovingly was the soul examined in this -Vision. Then saw I soothly that me behoved, of need, to assent, with -great reverence enjoying in God. - -[1] See below: "He is in the Mid-point," and lxiii. p. 158, "the -blessed Point from which nature came: that is, God." See also xxi. p. -45, "Where is now any point of thy pain?" (least part) and xxi. p. -46, "abiding unto the last point"; and lxiv. p. 161, "set the point -of our thought." These uses of the word may be compared with the -following:--From the _Banquet of Dante Alighieri_, tr. by K. Hillard -(Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.), Bk. II. xiv. 12, "_Geometry moves between -the print and the circle_"; as Euclid says, "the point is the beginning -of Geometry, and according to him, the circle is the most perfect -figure, and therefore may be considered its end.... The point by reason -of its indivisibility is immeasurable, and the circle by reason of -its arc cannot be exactly squared, and therefore cannot be measured -with precision." Notes by Miss Hillard: "This is why the Deity is -represented by a _point. Paradiso_, xxviii. 16: 'A point beheld I,' -'Heaven and all nature, hangs upon that point,' etc. Bk. IV. 6, quoting -Aristotle's _Physics_: '_The circle can be called perfect when it is -a true circle._ And this is when it contains a point which is equally -distant from every part of its circumference.' In the _Vita Nuova_ Love -appearing, says--'I am as the centre of a circle, to which all parts of -the circumference bear an equal relation' ('_Amor che muove il sole e -l'altre stelle_')." From _Neoplatonism_, by C. Bigg, D.D. (S.P.C.K.), -p. 122: "Thus we get a triplet--Soul, Intelligence, and a higher -Intelligence. The last is spoken of as One, as a point, as neither good -nor evil because above both." - -[2] On this subject, with the "Two Deemings" and "the Godly Will," see -xlv., xxxv., xxxvii., lxxxii. - - - - - _THE FOURTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XII - -"The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most - precious, so verily it it most plenteous" - - -And after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in -seeming of[1] the Scourging, as thus:--The fair skin was broken full -deep into the tender flesh with sharp smiting all about the sweet body. -So plenteously the hot blood ran out that there was neither seen skin -nor wound, but as it were all blood. And when it came where it should -have fallen down, then it vanished. Notwithstanding, the bleeding -continued awhile: till it might be seen and considered.[2] And this was -so plenteous, to my sight, that methought if it had been so in kind[3] -and in substance at that time, it should have made the bed all one -blood, and have passed over about. - -And then came to my mind that God hath made waters plenteous in earth -to our service and to our bodily ease for tender love that He hath to -us, but yet liketh Him better that we take full homely His blessed -blood to wash us of sin: for there is no water[4] that is made that -He liketh so well to give us. For it is most plenteous as it is most -precious: and that by the virtue of His blessed Godhead; and it is -[of] our Kind, and all-blissfully belongeth to us by the virtue of His -precious love. - -The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most -precious, so verily it is most plenteous. Behold and see! The precious -plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell and burst her -bands and delivered all that were there which belonged to the Court of -Heaven. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all -Earth, and is ready to wash all creatures of sin, which be of goodwill, -have been, and shall be. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood -ascended up into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, -and there is in Him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father,--and -is, and shall be as long as it needeth;--and ever shall be as long -as it needeth. And evermore it floweth in all Heavens enjoying the -salvation of all mankind, that are there, and shall be--fulfilling the -number[5] that faileth. - -[1] _i.e._ as it were from. - -[2] "sene with avisement," so, p. 26.--"I beheld with avisement." - -[3] _i.e._ Nature, reality. - -[4] MS. "licor." - -[5] The appointed number of heavenly citizens. - - - - - _THE FIFTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XIII - - "The Enemy is overcome by the blessed Passion and Death of our Lord - Jesus Christ" - - -And after this, ere God shewed any words, He suffered me for a -convenient time to give heed unto Him and all that I had seen, and all -intellect[1] that was therein, as the simplicity of the soul might -take it.[2] Then He, without voice and opening of lips, formed in my -soul these words: _Herewith is the Fiend overcome_. These words said -our Lord, meaning His blessed Passion as He shewed it afore. - -On this shewed our Lord that the Passion of Him is the overcoming -of the Fiend. God shewed that the Fiend hath now the same malice -that he had afore the Incarnation. And as sore he travaileth, and -as continually he seeth that all souls of salvation escape him, -worshipfully, by the virtue of Christ's precious Passion. And that is -his sorrow, and full evil is he ashamed: for all that God suffereth -him to do turneth [for] us to joy and [for] him to shame and woe. And -he hath as much sorrow when God giveth him leave to work, as when he -worketh not: and that is for that he may never do as ill as he would: -for his might is all taken[3] into God's hand. - -But in God there may be no wrath, as to my sight: for our good Lord -endlessly hath regard to His own worship and to the profit of all that -shall be saved. With might and right He withstandeth the Reproved, -the which of malice and wickedness busy them to contrive and to do -against God's will. Also I saw our Lord scorn his malice and set at -nought his unmight; and He willeth that we do so. For this sight I -laughed mightily, and that made them to laugh that were about me, and -their laughing was a pleasure to me. I thought that I would that all -mine even-Christians had seen as I saw, and then would they all laugh -with me. But I saw not Christ laugh. For I understood that we may -laugh in comforting of ourselves and joying in God for that the devil -is overcome. And when I saw Him scorn his malice, it was by leading -of mine understanding into our Lord: that is to say, it was an inward -shewing of verity, without changing of look.[4] For, as to my sight, it -is a worshipful property of God's that [He] is ever the same. - -And after this I fell into a graveness,[5] and said: _I see three -things: I see game, scorn, and earnest. I see [a] game, in that the -Fiend is overcome; I see scorn, in that God scorneth him, and he shall -be scorned; and I see earnest, in that he is overcome by the blissful -Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ that was done in full -earnest and with sober travail._ - -When I said, _he is scorned_,--I meant that God scorneth him, that -is to say, because He seeth him now as he shall do without end. For -in this [word] God shewed that the Fiend is condemned. And this -meant I when I said: _he shall be scorned_: [he shall be scorned] at -Doomsday, generally of all that shall be saved, to whose consolation -he hath great ill-will.[6] For then he shall see that all the woe and -tribulation that he hath done to them shall be turned to increase of -their joy, without end; and all the pain and tribulation that he would -have brought them to shall endlessly go with him to hell. - -[1] _i.e._ significance, teaching. - -[2] _i.e._ in so far as the simplicity of my soul was able to -understand it.--See xxiv. - -[3] S. de Cressy has "locked" instead of "taken." - -[4] "chere" = expression of countenance. - -[5] "sadhede." - -[6] "invye." - - - - - _THE SIXTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XIV - - "The age of every man shall be acknowledged before him in Heaven, and - every man shall be rewarded for his willing service and for his time" - - -After this our good Lord said: _I thank thee for thy travail, and -especially for thy youth._ - -And in this [Shewing] mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven -where I saw our Lord as a lord in his own house, which hath called -all his dear worthy servants and friends to a stately[1] feast. Then -I saw the Lord take no place in His own house, but I saw Him royally -reign in His house, fulfilling it with joy and mirth, Himself endlessly -to gladden and to solace His dearworthy friends, full homely and -full courteously, with marvellous melody of endless love, in His own -fair blessed Countenance. Which glorious Countenance of the Godhead -fulfilleth the Heavens with joy and bliss.[2] - -God shewed three degrees of bliss that every soul shall have in Heaven -that willingly hath served God in any degree in earth. The first is -the worshipful thanks of our Lord God that he shall receive when he is -delivered of pain. This thanking is so high and so worshipful that the -soul thinketh it filleth him though there were no more. For methought -that all the pain and travail that might be suffered by all living -men might not deserve the worshipful thanks that one man shall have -that willingly hath served God. The second is that all the blessed -creatures that are in Heaven shall see that worshipful thanking, and -He maketh his service known to all that are in Heaven. And here this -example was shewed:--A king, if he thank his servants, it is a great -worship to them, and if he maketh it known to all the realm, then -is the worship greatly increased.--The third is, that as new and as -gladdening as it is received in that time, right so shall it last -without end. - -And I saw that homely and sweetly was this shewed, and that the age of -every man shall be [made] known in Heaven, and [he] shall be rewarded -for his willing service and for his time. And specially the age of them -that willingly and freely offer their youth unto God, passingly is -rewarded and wonderfully is thanked. - -For I saw that whene'er what time a man or woman is truly turned to -God,--for one day's service and for his endless will he shall have all -these three decrees of bliss. And the more the loving soul seeth this -courtesy of God, the liefer he[3] is to serve him all the days of his -life. - -[1] MS. "solemne"--ceremonial. - -[2] See lxxii. and lxxv. - -[3] Thoughout this MS. _the soul_ is referred to generally with the -masculine pronoun; the feminine pronoun is never used, in any of its -cases; the neuter sometimes occurs. - - - - - _THE SEVENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XV - -"It is not God's will that we follow the feeling of pains in sorrow and - mourning for them" - - -And after this He shewed a sovereign ghostly pleasante in my soul. I -was fulfilled with the everlasting sureness, mightily sustained without -any painful dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly that I was -in all peace and in rest, that there was nothing in earth that should -have grieved me. - -This lasted but a while, and I was turned and left to myself in -heaviness, and weariness of my life, and irksomeness of myself, that -scarcely I could have patience to live. There was no comfort nor none -ease to me but faith, hope, and charity; and these I had in truth, but -little in feeling. - -And anon after this our blessed Lord gave me again the comfort and the -rest in soul, in satisfying and sureness so blissful and so mighty that -no dread, no sorrow, no pain bodily that might be suffered should have -distressed me. And then the pain shewed again to my feeling, and then -the joy and the pleasing, and now that one, and now that other, divers -times--I suppose about twenty times. And in the time of joy I might -have said with Saint Paul: _Nothing shall dispart me from the charity -of Christ_; and in the pain I might have said with Peter: _Lord, save -me: I perish!_ - -This Vision was shewed me, according to mine understanding, [for] -that it is speedful to some souls to feel on this wise: sometime to -be in comfort, and sometime to fail and to be left to themselves. God -willeth that we know that He keepeth us even alike secure in woe and in -weal. And for profit of man's soul, a man is sometime left to himself; -although sin is not always the cause: for in this time I sinned not -wherefore I should be left to myself--for it was so sudden. Also I -deserved not to have this blessed feeling. But freely our Lord giveth -when He will; and suffereth us [to be] in woe sometime. And both is one -love. - -For it is God's will that we hold us in comfort with all our might: for -bliss is lasting without end, and pain is passing and shall be brought -to nought for them that shall be saved. And therefore it is not God's -will that we follow the feelings of pain in sorrow and mourning for -them, but that we suddenly pass over, and hold us in endless enjoyment. - - - - - _THE EIGHTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XVI - - "A Part of His Passion" - - -After this Christ shewed a part of His Passion near His dying. - -I saw His sweet face as it were dry and bloodless with pale dying. And -later, more pale, dead, languoring; and then turned more dead unto -blue; and then more brown-blue, as the flesh turned more deeply dead. -For His Passion shewed to me most specially in His blessed face (and -chiefly in His lips): there I saw these four colours, though it were -afore fresh, ruddy, and pleasing, to my sight. This was a pitiful -change to see, this deep dying. And also the [inward] moisture clotted -and dried, to my sight, and the sweet body was brown and black, all -turned out of fair, life-like colour of itself, unto dry dying. - -For that same time that our Lord and blessed Saviour died upon the -Rood, it was a dry, hard wind, and wondrous cold, as to my sight, and -what time [all] the precious blood was bled out of the sweet body that -might pass therefrom, yet there dwelled a moisture in the sweet flesh -of Christ, as it was shewed. - -Bloodlessness and pain dried within; and blowing of wind and cold -coming from without met together in the sweet body of Christ. And these -four,--twain without, and twain within--dried the flesh of Christ by -process of time. And though this pain was bitter and sharp, it was full -long lasting, as to my sight, and painfully dried up all the lively -spirits of Christ's flesh. Thus I saw the sweet flesh dry in seeming by -part after part, with marvellous pains. And as long as any spirit had -life in Christ's flesh, so long suffered He pain. - -This long pining seemed to me as if He had been seven nights dead, -dying, at the point of outpassing away, suffering the last pain. And -when I said it seemed to me as if He had been seven night dead, it -meaneth that the sweet body was so discoloured, so dry, so shrunken, -so deathly, and so piteous, as if He had been seven night dead, -continually dying. And methought the drying of Christ's flesh was the -most pain, and the last, of His Passion. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII - -"How might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life, - and all my bliss, and all my joy suffer?" - - -And in this dying was brought to my mind the words of Christ: _I -thirst_. - -For I saw in Christ a double thirst: one bodily; another spiritual, the -which I shall speak of in the Thirty-first Chapter. - -For this word was shewed for the bodily thirst: the which I understood -was caused by failing of moisture. For the blessed flesh and bones -was left all alone without blood and moisture. The blessed body dried -alone long time with wringing of the nails and weight of the body. For -I understood that for tenderness of the sweet hands and of the sweet -feet, by the greatness, hardness, and grievousness of the nails the -wounds waxed wide and the body sagged, for weight by long time hanging. -And [therewith was] piercing and pressing of the head, and binding -of the Crown all baked with dry blood, with the sweet hair clinging, -and the dry flesh, to the thorns, and the thorns to the flesh drying; -and in the beginning while the flesh was fresh and bleeding, the -continual sitting of the thorns made the wounds wide. And furthermore -I saw that the sweet skin and the tender flesh, with the hair and -the blood, was all raised and loosed about from the bone, with the -thorns where-through it were rent in many pieces, as a cloth that were -sagging, as if it would hastily have fallen off, for heaviness and -looseness, while it had natural moisture. And that was great sorrow and -dread to me: for methought I would not for my life have seen it fall. -How it was done I saw not; but understood it was with the sharp thorns -and the violent and grievous setting on of the Garland of Thorns, -unsparingly and without pity. This continued awhile, and soon it began -to change, and I beheld and marvelled how it might be. And then I saw -it was because it began to dry, and stint a part of the weight, and set -about the Garland. And thus it encircled all about, as it were garland -upon garland. The Garland of the Thorns was dyed with the blood, and -that other garland [of Blood] and the head, all was one colour, as -clotted blood when it is dry. The skin of the flesh that shewed (of the -face and of the body), was small-rimpled[1] with a tanned colour, like -a dry board when it is aged; and the face more brown than the body. - -I saw four manner of dryings: the first was bloodlessness; the second -was pain following after; the third, hanging up in the air, as men hang -a cloth to dry; the fourth, that the bodily Kind asked liquid and there -was no manner of comfort ministered to Him in all His woe and distress. -Ah! hard and grievous was his pain, but much more hard and grievous it -was when the moisture failed and began to dry thus, shrivelling. - -These were the pains that shewed in the blessed head: the first wrought -to the dying, while it had moisture; and that other, slow, with -shrinking drying, [and] with blowing of the wind from without, that -dried and pained Him with cold more than mine heart can think. - -And other pains--for which pains I saw that all is too little that I -can say: for it may not be told. - -The which Shewing of Christ's pains filled me full of pain. For I wist -well He suffered but once, but [this was as if] He would shew it me -and fill me with mind as I had afore desired. And in all this time of -Christ's pains I felt no pain but for Christ's pains. Then thought-me: -_I knew but little what pain it was that I asked_; and, as a wretch, -repented me, thinking: _If I had wist what it had been, loth me had -been to have prayed it_. For methought it passed bodily death, my pains. - -I thought: _Is any pain like this?_ And I was answered in my reason: -_Hell is another pain: for there is despair. But of all pains that -lead to salvation this is the most pain, to see thy Love suffer. How -might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life, all -my bliss, and all my joy, suffer?_ Here felt I soothfastly[2] that I -loved Christ so much above myself that there was no pain that might be -suffered like to that sorrow that I had to [see] Him in pain. - -[1] or _shrivelled_. - -[2] in sure verity. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII - - "When He was in pain, we were in pain" - - -Here I saw a part of the compassion of our Lady, Saint Mary: for -Christ and she were so oned in love that the greatness of her loving -was cause of the greatness of her pain. For in this [Shewing] I saw a -Substance of Nature's[1] Love, continued by Grace, that creatures have -to Him: which Kind Love was most fully shewed in His sweet Mother, and -overpassing; for so much as she loved Him more than all other, her -pains passed all other. For ever the higher, the mightier, the sweeter -that the love be, the more sorrow it is to the lover to see that body -in pain that is loved. - -And all His disciples and all His true lovers suffered pains more than -their own bodily dying. For I am sure by mine own feeling that the -least of them loved Him so far above himself that it passeth all that I -can say. - -Here saw I a great oneing betwixt Christ and us, to mine understanding: -for when He was in pain, we were in pain. - -And all creatures that ought suffer pain, suffered with Him: that is to -say, all creatures that God hath made to our service. The firmament, -the earth, failed for sorrow in their Nature in the time of Christ's -dying. For it belongeth naturally to their property to know Him for -their God, in whom all their virtue standeth: when He failed, then -behoved it needs to them, because of kindness [between them], to fail -with Him, as much as they might, for sorrow of His pains. - -And thus they that were His friends suffered pain for love. And, -generally, _all_: that is to say, they that knew Him not suffered -for failing of all manner of comfort save the mighty, privy keeping -of God. I speak of two manner of folk, as they may be understood by -two persons: the one was Pilate, the other was Saint Dionyse[2] of -France, which was [at] that time a Paynim. For when he saw wondrous -and marvellous sorrows and dreads that befell in that time, he said: -_Either the world is now at an end, or He that is Maker of Kind -suffereth._ Wherefore he did write on an altar: THIS IS THE ALTAR -OF UNKNOWN GOD. God that of His goodness maketh the planets and the -elements to work of Kind to the blessed man and the cursed, in that -time made withdrawing[3] of it from both; wherefore it was that they -that knew Him not were in sorrow that time. - -Thus was our Lord Jesus made-naught for us; and all we stand in this -manner made-naught with Him, and shall do till we come to His bliss; as -I shall tell after. - -[1] _i.e._ Natural. - -[2] Dionysius, "the Areopagite," according to the legend of S. Denis. - -[3] MS.--"it was withdrawen from bothe." - - - - - CHAPTER XIX - - "Thus was I learned to choose Jesus for my Heaven, whom I saw only in - pain at that time" - - -In this [time] I would have looked up from the Cross, but I durst not. -For I wist well that while I beheld in the Cross I was surely-safe; -therefore I would not assent to put my soul in peril: for away from the -Cross was no sureness, for frighting of fiends. - -Then had I a proffer in my reason,[1] as if it had been friendly said -to me: _Look up to Heaven to His Father_. And then saw I well, with -the faith that I felt, that there was nothing betwixt the Cross and -Heaven that might have harmed me. Either me behoved to look up or else -to answer. I answered inwardly with all the might of my soul, and said: -_Nay; I may not: for Thou art my Heaven._ This I said for that I would -not. For I would liever have been in that pain till Doomsday than to -come to Heaven otherwise than by Him. For I wist well that He that -bound me so sore, He should unbind me when that He would. Thus was I -learned to choose Jesus to my Heaven, whom I saw only in pain at that -time: meliked no other Heaven than Jesus, which shall be my bliss when -I come there. - -And this hath ever been a comfort to me, that I chose Jesus to my -Heaven, by His grace, in all this time of Passion and sorrow; and that -hath been a learning to me that I should evermore do so: choose only -Jesus to my Heaven in weal and woe. - -And though I as a wretched creature had repented me (I said afore if I -had wist what pain it would be, I had been loth to have prayed), here -saw I truly that it was reluctance and frailty of the flesh without -assent of the soul: to which God assigneth no blame. Repenting and -willing choice be two contraries which I felt both in one at that time. -And these be [of our] two parts: the one outward, the other inward. The -outward part is our deadly flesh-hood, which is now in pain and woe, -and shall be, in this life: whereof I felt much in this time; and that -part it was that repented. The inward part is an high, blissful life, -which is all in peace and in love: and this was more inwardly felt; and -this part is [that] in which mightily, wisely and with steadfast will I -chose Jesus to my Heaven. - -And in this I saw verily that the inward part is master and sovereign -to the outward, and doth not charge itself with, nor take heed to, the -will of that: but all the intent and will is set to be oned unto our -Lord Jesus. That the outward part should draw the inward to assent -was not shewed to me; but that the inward draweth the outward by -grace, and both shall be oned in bliss without end, by the virtue of -Christ,--_this_ was shewed. - -[1] see xxxv. and lv. - - - - - CHAPTER XX - - "For every man's sin that shall be saved He suffered, and every man's - sorrow and desolation He saw, and sorrowed for Kinship and Love" - - -And thus I saw our Lord Jesus languoring long time. For the oneing with -the Godhead gave strength to the manhood for love to suffer more than -all men might suffer: I mean not only more pain than all men might -suffer, but also that He suffered more pain than all men of salvation -that ever were from the first beginning unto the last day might tell or -fully think, having regard to the worthiness of the highest worshipful -King and the shameful, despised, painful death. For He that is highest -and worthiest was most fully made-nought and most utterly despised. - -For the highest point that may be seen in the Passion is to think and -know what He is that suffered. And in this [Shewing] He brought in part -to mind the height and nobleness of the glorious Godhead, and therewith -the preciousness and the tenderness of the blessed Body, which be -together united; and also the lothness that is in our Kind to suffer -pain. For as much as He was most tender and pure, right so He was most -strong and mighty to suffer. - -And for every man's sin that shall be saved He suffered: and every -man's sorrow and desolation He saw, and sorrowed for Blindness and -love. (For in as much as our Lady sorrowed for His pains, in so much He -suffered sorrow for her sorrow;--and more, in as greatly as the sweet -manhood of Him was worthier in Kind.) For as long as He was passible -He suffered for us and sorrowed _for_ us; and now He is uprisen and no -more passible, yet He suffereth _with_ us. - -And I, beholding all this by His grace, saw that the Love of Him was so -strong which He hath to our soul that willingly He chose it with great -desire, and mildly He suffered it with well-pleasing. - -For the soul that beholdeth it thus, when it is touched by grace, it -shall verily see that the pains of Christ's Passion pass all pains: -[all pains] that is to say, which shall be turned into everlasting, -o'erpassing joys by the virtue of Christ's Passion. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI - - "We be now with Him in His Pains and His Passion, dying. We shall be -with Him in Heaven. Through learning in this little pain that we suffer - here, we shall have an high endless knowledge of God which we could - never have without that" - - -It is God's will, as to mine understanding, that we have Three[1] -Manners of Beholding His blessed Passion. The First is: _the hard Pain -that He suffered_,--[beholding it] with contrition and compassion. And -that shewed our Lord in this time, and gave me strength and grace to -see it. - -And I looked for the departing with all my might, and thought to have -seen the body all dead; but I saw Him not so. And right in the same -time that methought, by the seeming, the life might no longer last and -the Shewing of the end behoved needs to be,--suddenly (I beholding in -the same Cross), He changed [the look of] His blessed Countenance.[2] -The changing of His blessed Countenance changed mine, and I was as glad -and merry as it was possible. Then brought our Lord merrily to my mind: -_Where is now any point of the pain, or of thy grief?_ And I was full -merry. - -I understood that we be now, in our Lord's meaning, in His Cross with -Him in His pains and His Passion, dying; and we, willingly abiding -in the same Cross with His help and His grace unto the last point, -suddenly He shall change His Cheer to us, and we shall be with Him in -Heaven. Betwixt that one and that other shall be no time, and then -shall all be brought to joy. And thus said He in this Shewing: _Where -is now any point of thy pain, or thy grief?_ And we shall be full -blessed. - -And here saw I verily that if He shewed now [to] us His _Blissful_ -Cheer, there is no pain in earth or in other place that should aggrieve -us; but all things should be to us joy and bliss. But because He -sheweth to us time of His Passion, as He bare it in _this_ life, and -His Cross, therefore we are in distress and travail, with Him, as our -frailty asketh. And the cause why He suffereth [it to be so,] is for -[that] He will of His goodness make us the higher with Him in His -bliss; and for this little pain that we suffer here, we shall have an -high endless knowing in God which we could[3] never have without that. -And the harder our pains have been with Him in His Cross, the more -shall our worship[4] be with Him in His Kingdom. - -[1] xxii. and xxiii. - -[2] His "blisful chere," or blessed Cheer; lxxii. and Note. - -[3] "might." - -[4] _i.e._ glory. - - - - - _THE NINTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XXII - - "The Love that made Him to suffer passeth so far all His Pains as - Heaven is above Earth" - - -Then said our good Lord Jesus Christ: _Art thou well pleased that I -suffered for thee?_ I said: _Yea, good Lord, I thank Thee; Yea, good -Lord, blessed mayst Thou be._ Then said Jesus, our kind Lord: _If thou -art pleased, I am pleased: it is a joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying -to me that ever suffered I Passion for thee; and if I might suffer -more, I would suffer more._ - -In this feeling my understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and there I -saw three heavens: of which sight I marvelled greatly. And though I see -three heavens--and all in the blessed manhood of Christ--none is more, -none is less, none is higher, none is lower, but [they are] even-like -in bliss. - -For the First Heaven, Christ shewed me His Father; in no bodily -likeness, but in His property and in His working. That is to say, I saw -in Christ that the Father is. The working of the Father is this, that -He giveth meed to His Son Jesus Christ. This gift and this meed is so -blissful to Jesus that His Father might have given Him no meed that -might have pleased Him better. The first heaven, that is the pleasing -of the Father, shewed to me as one heaven; and it was full blissful: -for He is full pleased with all the deeds that Jesus hath done about -our salvation. Wherefore we be not only His by His buying, but also by -the courteous gift of His Father we be His bliss, we be His meed, we -be His worship, we be His crown. (And this was a singular marvel and a -full delectable beholding, that we be His crown!) This that I say is so -great bliss to Jesus that He setteth at nought all His travail, and His -hard Passion, and His cruel and shameful death. - -And in these words: _If that I might suffer more, I would suffer -more_,--I saw in truth that as often as He _might_ die, so often He -_would_, and love should never let Him have rest till He had done it. -And I beheld with great diligence for to learn how often He would die -if He might. And verily the number passed mine understanding and my -wits so far that my reason might not, nor could, comprehend it. And -when He had thus oft died, or should, yet He would set it at nought, -for love: for all seemeth[1] Him but little in regard of His love. - -For though the sweet manhood of Christ might suffer but once, the -goodness in Him may never cease of proffer: every day He is ready to -the same, if it might be. For if He said He would for my love make new -Heavens and new Earth, it were but little in comparison;[2] for this -might be done every day if He would, without any travail. But to die -for my love so often that the number passeth creature's reason, it is -the highest proffer that our Lord God might make to man's soul, as to -my sight. Then meaneth He thus: _How should it not be that I should not -do for thy love all that I might of deeds which grieve me not, sith -I would, for thy love, die so often, having no regard[3] to my hard -pains?_ - -And here saw I, for the Second[4] Beholding in this blessed Passion -_the love that made Him to suffer passeth as far all His pains as -Heaven is above Earth._ For the pains was a noble, worshipful deed done -in a time by the working of love: but[5] Love was without beginning, -is, and shall be without ending. For which love He said full sweetly -these words: _If I might suffer more, I would suffer more._ He said -not, _If it were needful to suffer more:_ for though it were not -needful, if He _might_ suffer more, He would. - -This deed, and this work about our salvation, was ordained as well as -God might ordain it. And here I saw a Full Bliss in Christ: for His -bliss should not have been full, if it might any better have been done. - -[1] "ffor al thynketh him but litil in reward of His love" [in -comparison with]. - -[2] MS. "Reward." - -[3] MS. "Reward." - -[4] See xxi., xxiii. - -[5] MS. "and," probably here, at in other places, with something of the -force of "but." - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII - - "The Glad Giver" "All the Trinity wrought in the Passion of Jesus - Christ" - - -And in these three words: _It is a joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying -to me_, were shewed three heavens, as thus: For the joy, I understood -the pleasure of the Father; and for the bliss, the worship of the -Son; and for the endless satisfying,[1] the Holy Ghost. The Father is -pleased, the Son is worshipped, the Holy Ghost is satisfied.[2] - -And here saw I, for the Third Beholding in His blissful Passion: that -is to say, _the Joy and the Bliss that make Him to be well-satisfied -in it._ For our Courteous Lord shewed His Passion to me in five -manners: of which the first is the bleeding of the head; the second -is, discolouring of His face; the third is, the plenteous bleeding of -the body, in seeming [as] from the scourging; the fourth is, the deep -dying:--these four are aforetold for the pains of the Passion. And -the fifth is [this] that was shewed for the joy and the bliss of the -Passion. - -For it is God's will that we have true enjoying with Him in our -salvation, and therein He willeth [that] we be mightily comforted and -strengthened; and thus willeth He that merrily with His grace our soul -be occupied. For we are His bliss: for in us He enjoyeth without end; -and so shall we in Him, with His grace. - -And all that He hath done for us, and doeth, and ever shall, was never -cost nor charge to Him, nor might be, but only that [which] He did in -our manhood, beginning at the sweet Incarnation and lasting to the -Blessed Uprise on Easter-morrow:[3] so long dured the cost and the -charge about our redemption in _deed_: of [the] which deed He enjoyeth -endlessly, as it is aforesaid. - -Jesus willeth that we take heed to the bliss that is in the blessed -Trinity [because] of our salvation and that _we_ desire to have as much -spiritual enjoying, with His grace, (as it is aforesaid): that is to -say, that the enjoying of our salvation be [as] like to the joy that -Christ hath of our salvation as it may be while we are here. - -All the Trinity wrought in the Passion of Christ, ministering abundance -of virtues and plenty of grace to us by Him: but only the Maiden's Son -suffered: whereof all the blessed Trinity endlessly enjoyeth. All this -was shewed in these words: _Art thou well pleased?_--and by that other -word that Christ said: _If thou art pleased, then am I pleased;_--as if -He said: _It is joy and satisfying enough to me, and I ask nought else -of thee for my travail but that I might well please thee_. - -And in this He brought to mind the property of a glad giver. A glad -giver taketh but little heed of the thing that he giveth, but all his -desire and all his intent is to please him and solace him to whom he -giveth it. And if the receiver take the gift highly and thankfully, -then the courteous giver setteth at nought all his cost and all his -travail, for joy and delight that he hath pleased and solaced him that -he loveth. Plenteously and fully was this shewed. - -Think also wisely of the greatness of this word "_ever_." For in it -was shewed an high knowing of love[4] that _He_ hath in our salvation, -with manifold joys that follow of the Passion of Christ. One is that He -rejoiceth that He hath done it in deed, and He shall no more suffer; -another, that He bought us from endless pains of hell. - -[1] "lykyng." - -[2] "lykith." - -[3] "Esterne morrow" = Easter morning. - -[4] Experience of loving (?). - - - - - _THE TENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XXIV - - "Our Lord looked unto His [wounded] Side, and beheld, rejoicing.... - _Lo! how I loved thee_" - - -Then with a glad cheer our Lord looked unto His Side and beheld, -rejoicing. With His sweet looking He led forth the understanding of His -creature by the same wound into His Side within. And then he shewed a -fair, delectable place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be -saved to rest in peace and in love.[1] And therewith He brought to mind -His dearworthy blood and precious water which he let pour all out for -love. And with the sweet beholding He shewed His blessed heart even -cloven in two. - -And with this sweet enjoying, He shewed unto mine understanding, -in part, _the blessed Godhead_, stirring then the poor soul[2] to -understand, as it may be said, that is, to think on,[3] the _endless_ -Love that was without beginning, and is, and shall be ever. And with -this our good Lord said full blissfully: _Lo, how that I loved thee,_ -as if He had said: _My darling, behold and see thy Lord, thy God that -is thy Maker and thine endless joy, see what satisfying and bliss I -have in thy salvation; and for my love rejoice [thou] with me._ - -And also, for more understanding, this blessed word was said: _Lo, -how I loved thee! Behold and see that I loved thee so much ere I died -for thee that I would die for thee; and now I have died for thee and -suffered willingly that which I may. And now is all my bitter pain and -all my hard travail turned to endless joy and bliss to me and to thee. -How should it now be that thou shouldst anything pray that pleaseth me -but that I should full gladly grant it thee? For my pleasing is thy -holiness and thine endless joy and bliss with me._ - -This is the understanding, simply as I can say it, of this blessed -word: _Lo, how I loved thee._ This shewed our good Lord for to make us -glad and merry. - -[1] See note on the passage in li., "long and broad, all full of -endless heavens"; "He hath, beclosed in Him, all heavens and all joy -and bliss." - -[2] See xiii., "the simplicity of the soul." - -[3] MS. "that is to mene the endles love." - - - - - _THE ELEVENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XXV - -"I wot well that thou wouldst see my blessed Mother...." "Wilt thou see - in her how thou art loved?" - - -And with this same cheer of mirth and joy our good Lord looked down -on the right side and brought to my mind where our Lady stood in the -time of His Passion; and said: _Wilt thou see her?_ And in this sweet -word [it was] as if He had said: _I wot well that thou wouldst see -my blessed Mother: for, after myself, she is the highest joy that I -might shew thee, and most pleasance and worship to me; and most she -is desired to be seen of my blessed creatures._ And for the high, -marvellous, singular love that He hath to this sweet Maiden, His -blessed Mother, our Lady Saint Mary, He shewed her highly rejoicing, as -by the meaning of these sweet words; as if He said: _Wilt thou see how -I love her, that thou mightest joy with me in the love that I have in -her and she in me?_ - -And also (unto more understanding this sweet word) our Lord speaketh to -all mankind that shall be saved, as it were all to one person, as if He -said: _Wilt thou see in her how thou art loved? For thy love I made her -so high, so noble and so worthy; and this pleaseth me, and so will I -that it doeth thee._ - -For after Himself she is the most blissful sight. - -But hereof am I not learned to long to see her bodily presence while I -am here, but the virtues of her blessed soul: her truth, her wisdom, -her charity; whereby I may learn to know myself and reverently dread my -God. And when our good Lord had shewed this and said this word: _Wilt -thou see her?_ I answered and said: _Yea, good Lord, I thank Thee; yea, -good Lord, if it be Thy will._ Oftentimes I prayed this, and I weened -to have seen her in bodily presence, but I saw her not so. And Jesus in -that word shewed me ghostly sight of her: right as I had seen her afore -little and simple, so He shewed her then high and noble and glorious, -and pleasing to Him above all creatures. - -And He willeth that it be known; that [so] all those that please them -in Him should please them in her, and in the pleasance that He hath -in her and she in Him.[1] And, to more understanding, He shewed this -example: _As if a man love a creature singularly, above all creatures,_ -he willeth to make all creatures to love and to have pleasance in that -creature that he loveth so greatly. And in this word that Jesus said: -_Wilt thou see her?_ methought it was the most pleasing word that He -might have given me of her, with that ghostly Shewing that He gave me -of her. For our Lord shewed me nothing in special but our Lady Saint -Mary; and her He shewed three times.[2] The first was as she was with -Child; the second was as she was in her sorrows under the Cross; the -third is as she is now in pleasing, worship, and joy. - -[1] "And he wil that it be knowen that al those that lyke in him should -lyken in hir and in the lykyng that he hath in hir and she in him." - -[2] See (1) iv. (referred to in vii.); (2) xviii. - - - - - _THE TWELFTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XXVI - - "It is I, it is I" - - -And after this our Lord shewed Himself more glorified, as to my sight, -than I saw Him before [in the Shewing] wherein I was learned that our -soul shall never have rest till it cometh to Him, knowing that He is -fulness of joy, homely and courteous, blissful and very life. - -Our Lord Jesus oftentimes said: _I it am, I it am: I it am that is -highest, I it am that thou lovest, I it am that thou enjoyest, I it -am that thou servest, I it am that thou longest for, I it am that thou -desirest, I it am that thou meanest, I it am that is all. I it am that -Holy Church preacheth and teacheth thee, I it am that shewed me here to -thee._ The number of the words passeth my wit and all my understanding -and all my powers. And they are the highest, as to my sight: for -therein is comprehended--I cannot tell,--but the joy that I saw in -the Shewing of them passeth all that heart may wish for and soul may -desire. Therefore the words be not declared here; but every man after -the grace that God giveth him in understanding and loving, receive them -in our Lord's meaning. - - - - - _THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER XXVII - - "Often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the -beginning of sin was not hindered: for then, methought, all should have - been well." "Sin is behovable--[playeth a needful part]--; but all - shall be well" - - -After this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him -afore. And I saw that nothing letted me but sin. And so I looked, -generally, upon us all, and methought: _If sin had not been, we should -all have been clean and like to our Lord, as He made us._ - -And thus, in my folly, afore this time often I wondered why by the -great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not letted: for -then, methought, all should have been well. This stirring [of mind] -was much to be forsaken, but nevertheless mourning and sorrow I made -therefor, without reason and discretion. - -But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to -me, answered by this word and said: _It behoved that there should be -sin;[1] but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of -thing shall be well._ - -In this naked word _sin_, our Lord brought to my mind, generally, _all -that is not good_, and the shameful despite and the utter noughting[2] -that He bare for us in this life, and His dying; and all the pains -and passions of all His creatures, ghostly and bodily; (for we be all -partly noughted, and we shall be noughted following our Master, Jesus, -till we be full purged, that is to say, till we be fully noughted of -our deadly flesh and of all our inward affections which are not very -good;) and the beholding of this, with all pains that ever were or ever -shall be,--and with all these I understand the Passion of Christ for -most pain, and overpassing. All this was shewed in a touch and quickly -passed over into comfort: for our good Lord would not that the soul -were affeared of this terrible sight. - -But I saw not _sin_: for I believe it hath no manner of substance nor -no part of being, nor could it be known but by the pain it is cause of. - -And thus[3] pain, _it_ is something, as to my sight, for a time; for -it purgeth, and maketh us to know ourselves and to ask mercy. For the -Passion of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His -blessed will. And for the tender love that our good Lord hath to all -that shall be saved, He comforteth readily and sweetly, signifying -thus: _It is sooth[4] that sin is cause of all this pain; but all shall -be well, and all shall be well, and all manner [of] thing shall be -well._ - -These words were said full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me -nor to any that shall be saved. Then were it a great unkindness[5] to -blame or wonder on God for my sin, since He blameth not me for sin. - -And in these words I saw a marvellous high mystery hid in God, which -mystery He shall openly make known to us in Heaven: in which knowing we -shall verily see the cause why He suffered sin to come. In which sight -we shall endlessly joy in our Lord God.[6] - -[1] "Synne is behovabil, but al shal be wel & al shal be wel & al -manner of thyng shal be wele." - -[2] Being made as nothing, set at nought. - -[3] S. de Cressy has "this" instead of _thus_. - -[4] _i.e._ truth, an actual reality. See lxxxii. - -[5] As it were, an unreasonable contravention of natural, filial trust. - -[6] See also chap. lxi. From the _Enchiridion_ of Saint -Augustine:--"All things that exist, therefore, seeing that the Creator -of them all is supremely good, are themselves good. But because they -are not like their Creator, supremely and unchangeably good, their good -may be diminished and increased. But for good to be diminished is an -evil, although, however much it may be diminished, it is necessary, if -the being is to continue, that some good should remain to constitute -the being. For however small or of whatever kind the being may be, the -good which makes it a being cannot be destroyed without destroying the -being itself.... So long as a being is in process of corruption, there -is in it some good of which it is being deprived; and if a part of the -being should remain which cannot be corrupted, this will certainly -be an incorruptible being, and accordingly the process of corruption -will result in the manifestation of this great good. But if it do -not cease to be corrupted, neither can it cease to possess good of -which corruption may deprive it. But if it should be thoroughly and -completely consumed by corruption, there will then be no good left, -because there will be no being. Wherefore corruption can consume the -good only by consuming the being. Every being, therefore, is a good; a -great good, if it cannot be corrupted; a little good, if it can: but in -any case, only the foolish or ignorant will deny that it is a good. And -if it be wholly consumed by corruption, then the corruption itself must -cease to exist, as there is no being left in which it can dwell." - -Chap. x. "By the Trinity, thus supremely and equally and unchangeably -good, all things were created; and these are not supremely and equally -and unchangeably good, but yet they are good, even taken separately. -Taken as a whole, however, they are very good, because their _ensemble_ -constitutes the universe in all its wonderful order and beauty."--_The -Works of Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of Hippo_, (Edited by the Rev. -Marcus Dods, D.D.), vol. ix. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVIII - -"Each brotherly compassion that man hath on his fellow Christians, with - charity, it is Christ in him" - - -Thus I saw how Christ hath compassion on us for the cause of sin. -And right as I was afore in the [Shewing of the] Passion of Christ -fulfilled with pain and compassion, like so in this [sight] I was -fulfilled, in part, with compassion of all mine even-Christians--for -that well, well beloved people that shall be saved. For God's servants, -Holy Church, shall be shaken in sorrow and anguish, tribulation in this -world, as men shake a cloth in the wind. - -And as to this our Lord answered in this manner: _A great thing shall I -make hereof in Heaven of endless worship and everlasting joys._ - -Yea, so far forth I saw, that our Lord joyeth of the tribulations of -His servants, with ruth and compassion. On each person that He loveth, -to His bliss for to bring [them], He layeth something that is no blame -in His sight, whereby they are blamed and despised in this world, -scorned, mocked,[1] and outcasted. And this He doeth for to hinder the -harm that they should take from the pomp and the vain-glory of this -wretched life, and make their way ready to come to Heaven, and up-raise -them in His bliss everlasting. For He saith: _I shall wholly break you -of your vain affections and your vicious pride; and after that I shall -together gather you, and make you mild and meek, clean and holy, by -oneing to me._ - -And then I saw that each kind compassion that man hath on his -even-Christians with charity, it is Christ in him. - -That same noughting that was shewed in His Passion, it was shewed again -here in this Compassion. Wherein were two manner of understandings -in our Lord's meaning. The one was the bliss that we are brought to, -wherein He willeth that we rejoice. The other is for comfort in our -pain: for He willeth that we perceive that it shall all be turned to -worship and profit by virtue of His passion, that we perceive that -we suffer not alone but with Him, and see Him to be our Ground, and -that we see His pains and His noughting passeth so far all that we may -suffer, that it may not be fully thought. - -The beholding of this will save us from murmuring[2] and despair in the -feeling of our pains. And if we see soothly that our sin deserveth it, -yet His love excuseth us, and of His great courtesy He doeth away all -our blame, and beholdeth us with ruth and pity as children innocent and -unloathful. - -[1] "Something that is no lak in his syte, whereby thei are lakid -& dispisyd in thys world, scornyd" (a word like "rapyd"--probably -"mokyd," as in S. de Cressy) "& outcasten." - -[2] "gruching." - - - - - CHAPTER XXIX - - "How could all be well, for the great harm that is come by sin to the - creature?" - - -But in this I stood beholding things general, troublously and mourning, -saying thus to our Lord in my meaning, with full great dread: _Ah! good -Lord, how might all be well, for the great hurt that is come, by sin, -to the creature?_ And here I desired, as far as I durst, to have some -more open declaring wherewith I might be eased in this matter. - -And to this our blessed Lord answered full meekly and with full lovely -cheer, and shewed that Adam's sin was the most harm that ever was -done, or ever shall be, to the world's end; and also He shewed that -this [sin] is openly known in all Holy Church on earth. Furthermore -He taught that I should behold the glorious Satisfaction[1]: for this -Amends-making[2] is more pleasing to God and more worshipful, without -comparison, than ever was the sin of Adam harmful. Then signifieth our -blessed Lord thus in this teaching, that we should take heed to this: -_For since I have made well the most harm, then it is my will that thou -know thereby that I shall make well all that is less._ - -[1] "asyeth" = _asseth_, Satisfying, Fulfilment. See p. 2. - -[2] "asyeth making". See preceding note. - - - - - CHAPTER XXX - - "Two parts of Truth: the part that is open: our Saviour and our - salvation;--and the part that is hid and shut up from us: all beside - our salvation" - - -He gave me understanding of two parts [of truth]. The one part is our -Saviour and our salvation. This blessed part is open and clear and fair -and light, and plenteous,--for all mankind that is of good will, and -shall be, is comprehended in this part. Hereto are we bounden of God, -and drawn and counselled and taught inwardly by the Holy Ghost and -outwardly by Holy Church in the same grace. In this willeth our Lord -that we be occupied, joying in Him; for He enjoyeth in us. The more -plenteously that we take of this, with reverence and meekness, the more -thanks we earn of Him and the more speed[1] to ourselves, thus--may we -say--enjoying _our_ part of our Lord. The other [part] is hid and shut -up from us: that is to say, all that is beside our salvation. For it is -our Lord's privy counsel, and it belongeth to the royal lordship of God -to have His privy counsel in peace, and it belongeth to His servant, -for obedience and reverence, not to learn[2] wholly His counsel. Our -Lord hath pity and compassion on us for that some creatures make -themselves so busy therein; and I am sure if we knew how much we should -please Him and ease ourselves by leaving it, we would. The saints that -be in Heaven, they will to know nothing but that which our Lord willeth -to shew them: and also their charity and their desire is ruled after -the will of our Lord: and thus ought we to will, like to them. Then -shall we nothing will nor desire but the will of our Lord, as they do: -for we are all one in God's seeing. - -And here was I learned that we shall trust and rejoice only in our -Saviour, blessed Jesus, for all thing. - -[1] _i.e._ profit. - -[2] "It longyth to the ryal Lordship of God to have his privy councell -in pece, and it longyth to his servant for obedience and reverens not -to wel wetyn his counselye." - - - - - CHAPTER XXXI - - "The Spiritual Thirst (which was in Him from without beginning) is - desire in Him as long as we be in need, drawing us up to His Bliss" - - -And thus our good Lord answered to all the questions and doubts that I -might make, saying full comfortably: _I may make all thing well, I can -make all thing well, I will make all thing well, and I shall make all -thing well; and thou shalt see thyself that all manner of thing shall -be well._ - -In that He saith, _I may_, I understand [it] for the Father; and in -that He saith, _I can_, I understand [it] for the Son; and where He -saith, _I will_, I understand [it] for the Holy Ghost; and where He -saith, _I shall_, I understand [it] for the unity of the blessed -Trinity: three Persons and one Truth; and where He saith, _Thou shalt -see thyself_, I understand the oneing of all mankind that shall be -saved unto the blessed Trinity. And in these five words God willeth we -be enclosed in rest and in peace. - -Thus shall the Spiritual Thirst of Christ have an end. For this is the -Spiritual Thirst of Christ: the love-longing that lasteth, and ever -shall, till we see that sight on Doomsday. For we that shall be saved -and shall be Christ's joy and His bliss, some be yet here and some be -to come, and so shall some be, unto that day. Therefore this is His -thirst and love-longing, to have us altogether whole in Him, to His -bliss,--as to my sight. For we be not now as fully whole in Him as we -shall be then. - -For we know in our Faith, and also it was shewed in all [the -Revelations] that Christ Jesus is both God and man. And anent the -Godhead, He is Himself highest bliss, and was, from without beginning, -and shall be, without end: which endless bliss may never be heightened -nor lowered in itself. For this was plenteously seen in every Shewing, -and specially in the Twelfth, where He saith: _I am that [which] is -highest_. And anent Christ's Manhood, it is known in our Faith, and -also [it was] shewed, that He, with the virtue of Godhead, for love, to -bring us to His bliss suffered pains and passions, and died. And these -be the works of Christ's Manhood wherein He rejoiceth; and that shewed -He in the Ninth Revelation, where He saith: _It is a joy and bliss and -endless pleasing to me that ever I suffered Passion for thee._ And -this is the bliss of Christ's _works_, and thus he signifieth where He -saith in that same Shewing: we be His bliss, we be His meed, we be His -worship, we be His crown. - -For anent that Christ is our Head, He is glorified and impassible; and -anent His Body in which all His members are knit, He is not yet fully -glorified nor all impassible. Therefore the same desire and thirst -that He had upon the Cross (which desire, longing, and thirst, as to -my sight, was in Him from without beginning) the same hath He yet, and -shall [have] unto the time that the last soul that shall be saved is -come up to His bliss. - -For as verily as there is a property in God of ruth and pity, so verily -there is a property in God of thirst and longing. (And of the virtue of -this longing in Christ, _we_ have to long again to Him: without which -no soul cometh to Heaven.) And this property of longing and thirst -cometh of the endless Goodness of God, even as the property of pity -cometh of His endless Goodness. And though longing and pity are two -sundry properties, as to my sight, in this standeth the point of the -Spiritual Thirst: which is _desire in Him as long as we be in need_, -drawing us up to His bliss. And all this was seen in the Shewing of -Compassion: for that shall cease on Doomsday. - -Thus He hath ruth and compassion on us, and He hath longing to have us; -but His wisdom and His love suffereth not the end to come till the best -time. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXII - -"There be deeds evil done in our sight, and so great harms taken, that - it seemeth to us that it were impossible that ever it should come to - good end." "That Great Deed ordained ... by which our Lord God shall - make all things well" - - -One time our good Lord said: _All thing shall be well_; and another -time he said: _Thou shalt see thyself that all_ MANNER _[of] thing -shall be well_; and in these two [sayings] the soul took sundry -understandings. - -One was that He willeth we know that not only He taketh heed to noble -things and to great, but also to little and to small, to low and to -simple, to one and to other. And so meaneth He in that He saith: ALL -MANNER OF THINGS _shall be well_. For He willeth we know that the least -thing shall not be forgotten. - -Another understanding is this, that there be deeds evil done in our -sight, and so great harms taken, that it seemeth to us that it were -impossible that ever it should come to good end. And upon this we look, -sorrowing and mourning therefor, so that we cannot resign us unto the -blissful beholding of God as we should do. And the cause of this is -that the use of our reason is now so blind, so low, and so simple, that -we cannot know that high marvellous Wisdom, the Might and the Goodness -of the blissful Trinity. And thus signifieth He when He saith: THOU -SHALT SEE THYSELF _if[1] all manner of things shall be well_. As if He -said: _Take now heed faithfully and trustingly, and at the last end -thou shalt verily see it in fulness of joy_. - -And thus in these same five words aforesaid: _I may make all things -well_, etc., I understand a mighty comfort of all the works of our Lord -God that are yet to come. There is a Deed the which the blessed Trinity -shall do in the last Day, as to my sight, and when the Deed shall be, -and how it shall be done, is unknown of all creatures that are beneath -Christ, and shall be till when it is done. - -["The Goodness and the Love of our Lord God will that we wit [know] -that it shall be; And the Might and the Wisdom of him by the same Love -will hill [conceal] it, and hide it from us what it shall be, and how -it shall be done."][2] - -And the cause why He willeth that we know [this Deed shall be], is for -that He would have us the more eased in our soul and [the more] set at -peace in love[3]--leaving the beholding of all troublous things that -might keep us back from true enjoying of Him. This is that Great Deed -ordained of our Lord God from without beginning, treasured and hid in -His blessed breast, only known to Himself: by which He shall make all -things well. - -For like as the blissful Trinity made all things of nought, right so -the same blessed Trinity shall make well all that is not well. - -And in this sight I marvelled greatly and beheld our Faith, marvelling -thus: Our Faith is grounded in God's word, and it belongeth to our -Faith that we believe that God's word shall be saved in all things; -and one point of our Faith is that many creatures shall be condemned: -as angels that fell out of Heaven for pride, which be now fiends; and -man[4] in earth that dieth out of the Faith of Holy Church: that is -to say, they that be heathen men; and also man[5] that hath received -Christendom and liveth unchristian life and so dieth out of charity: -all these shall be condemned to hell without end, as Holy Church -teacheth me to believe. And all this [so] standing,[6] methought it was -impossible that all manner of things should be well, as our Lord shewed -in the same time. - -And as to this I had no other answer in Shewing of our Lord God but -this: _That which is impossible to thee is not impossible to me: I -shall save my word in all things and I shall make all things well._ -Thus I was taught, by the grace of God, that I should steadfastly hold -me in the Faith as I had aforehand understood, [and] therewith that I -should firmly believe that all things shall be well, as our Lord shewed -in the same time. - -For this is the Great Deed that our Lord shall do, in which Deed He -shall save His word and He shall make all well that is not well. How it -shall be done there is no creature beneath Christ that knoweth it, nor -shall know it till it is done; according to the understanding that I -took of our Lord's meaning in this time. - -[1] "if" = "that." (Acts xxvi. 8.) - -[2] Inserted from Serenus de Cressy's version. - -[3] "pecid in love--levyng the beholdyng of al tempests that might -letten us of trew enjoyeng in hym." S. de Cressy: "let us of true -enjoying in him." - -[4] S. de Cressy, "many." - -[5] S. de Cressy, "many." - -[6] "stondyng al this." - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIII - - "It is God's will that we have great regard to all His deeds that He - hath done, but evermore it needeth us to leave the beholding what the - Deed shall be" - - -And yet in this I desired, as [far] as I durst, that I might have full -sight of Hell and Purgatory. But it was not my meaning to make proof of -anything that belongeth to the Faith: for I believed soothfastly that -Hell and Purgatory is for the same end that Holy Church teacheth, but -my meaning was that I might have seen, for learning in all things that -belong to my Faith: whereby I might live the more to God's worship and -to my profit. - -But for [all] my desire, I could[1] [see] of this right nought, save -as it is aforesaid in the First Shewing, where I saw that the devil is -reproved of God and endlessly condemned. In which sight I understood -as to all creatures that are of the devil's condition in this life, -and therein end, that there is no more mention made of them afore God -and all His Holy than of the devil,--notwithstanding that they be of -mankind--whether they be christened or not. - -For though the Revelation was made of goodness in which was made -little mention of evil, yet I was not drawn thereby from any point -of the Faith that Holy Church teacheth me to believe. For I had -sight of the Passion of Christ in diverse Shewings,--the First, the -Second, the Fifth, and the Eighth,--wherein I had in part a feeling -of the sorrow of our Lady, and of His true friends that saw Him in -pain; but I saw not so properly specified the Jews that did Him to -death. Notwithstanding I knew in my Faith that they were accursed and -condemned without end, saving those that converted, by grace. And I -was strengthened and taught generally to keep me in the Faith in every -point, and in all as I had before understood: hoping that I was therein -with the mercy and the grace of God; desiring and praying in my purpose -that I might continue therein unto my life's end. - -And it is God's will that we have great regard to all His deeds that -He hath done, but evermore it needeth us to leave the beholding what -the Deed shall be. And let us desire to be like our brethren which -be saints in Heaven, that will right nought but God's will and are -well pleased both with hiding and with shewing. For I saw soothly in -our Lord's teaching, the more we busy us to know His secret counsels -in this or any other thing, the farther shall we be from the knowing -thereof. - -[1] "I coude of this right nowte." - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIV - - "All that is speedful for us to learn and to know, full courteously - will our Lord shew us" - - -Our Lord God shewed two manner of secret things. One is this great -Secret [Counsel] with all the privy points that belong thereto: and -these secret things He willeth we should know [as _being_, but as] -_hid_ until the time that He will clearly shew them to us. The other -are the secret things that He willeth to make open and known to us; for -He would have us understand that it is His will that we should know -them. They are secrets to us not only for that He willeth that they -be secrets to us, but they are secrets to us for our blindness and -our ignorance; and thereof He hath great ruth, and therefore He will -Himself make them more open to us, whereby we may know Him and love -Him and cleave to Him. For all that is speedful for us to learn and to -know, full courteously will our Lord shew us: and [of] that is this -[Shewing], with all the preaching and teaching of Holy Church. - -God shewed full great pleasance that He hath in all men and women that -mightily and meekly and with all their will take the preaching and -teaching of Holy Church. For it is His Holy Church: He is the Ground, -He is the Substance, He is the Teaching, He is the Teacher, He is the -End, He is the Meed for which every kind soul travaileth. - -And _this_ [of the Shewing] is [made] known, and shall be known to -every soul to which the Holy Ghost declareth it. And I hope truly that -all those that seek this, He shall speed: for they seek God. - -All this that I have now told, and more that I shall tell after, is -comforting against sin. For in the Third Shewing when I saw that God -doeth all that is done, I saw no sin: and then I saw that all _is_ -well. But when God shewed me for sin, then said He: _All_ SHALL _be -well_. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXV - -"I desired to learn assuredly as to a certain creature that I loved.... - It is more worship to God to behold Him in _all_ than in any special - thing" - - -And when God Almighty had shewed so plenteously and joyfully of His -Goodness, I desired to learn assuredly as to a certain creature that -I loved, if it should continue in good living, which I hoped by the -grace of God was begun. And in this desire for a _singular_ Shewing, -it seemed that I hindered myself: for I was not taught in this time. -And then was I answered in my reason, as it were by a friendly -intervenor[1]: _Take it_ GENERALLY, _and behold the graciousness of the -Lord God as He sheweth to thee: for it is more worship to God to behold -Him in all than in any special thing_. And therewith I learned that -it is more worship to God to know all-thing in general, than to take -pleasure in any special thing. And if I should do wisely according to -this teaching, I should not only be glad for nothing in special, but -I should not be greatly distressed for no manner of thing[2]: for ALL -_shall be well_. For the fulness of joy is to behold God in _all_: for -by the same blessed Might, Wisdom, and Love, that He made all-thing, to -the same end our good Lord leadeth it continually, and thereto Himself -shall bring it; and when it is time we shall see it. And the ground -of this was shewed in the First [Revelation], and more openly in the -Third, where it saith: _I saw God in a point_. - -All that our Lord doeth is rightful, and that which He suffereth[3] is -worshipful: and in these two is comprehended good and ill: for all that -is good our Lord doeth, and that which is evil our Lord suffereth. I -say not that any evil is worshipful, but I say the sufferance of our -Lord God is worshipful: whereby His Goodness shall be known, without -end, in His marvellous meekness and mildness, by the working of mercy -and grace. - -_Rightfulness_ is that thing that is so good that [it] may not be -better than it is. For God Himself is very Rightfulness, and all His -works are done rightfully as they are ordained from without beginning -by His high Might, His high Wisdom, His high Goodness. And right as He -ordained unto the best, right so He worketh continually, and leadeth -it to the same end; and He is ever full-pleased with Himself and with -all His works. And the beholding of this blissful accord is full -sweet to the soul that seeth by grace. All the souls that shall be -saved in Heaven without end be made rightful in the sight of God, and -by His own goodness: in which rightfulness we are endlessly kept, and -marvellously, above all creatures. - -And _Mercy_ is a working that cometh of the goodness of God, and it -shall last in working all along, as sin is suffered to pursue rightful -souls. And when sin hath no longer leave to pursue, then shall the -working of mercy cease, and then shall all be brought to rightfulness -and therein stand without end. - -And by His sufferance we fall; and in His blissful Love with His Might -and His Wisdom we are kept; and by mercy and grace we are raised to -manifold more joys. - -Thus in Rightfulness and Mercy He willeth to be known and loved, now -and without end. And the soul that wisely beholdeth it in grace, it is -well pleased with both, and endlessly enjoyeth. - -[1] "A friendful mene" = intermediary (person or thing), medium: -compare chaps. xix., lv. - -[2] See xxxvi. 74. - -[3] _i.e._ alloweth. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVI - - "My sin shall not hinder His Goodness working.... A deed shall be - done--as we come to Heaven--and it may be known here in part;--though - it be truly taken for the general Man, yet it excludeth not the - special. For what our good Lord will do by His poor creatures, it is - now unknown to me" - - -Our Lord God shewed that a deed shall be done, and Himself shall do -it, and I shall do nothing but sin, and my sin shall not hinder[1] His -Goodness working. And I saw that the beholding of this is a heavenly -joy in a fearing soul which evermore kindly by grace desireth God's -will. This deed shall be begun here, and it shall be worshipful to God -and plenteously profitable to His lovers in earth; and ever as we come -to Heaven we shall see it in marvellous joy, and it shall last thus in -working unto the last Day; and the worship and the bliss of it shall -last in Heaven afore God and all His Holy [ones] for ever. - -Thus was this deed seen and understood in our Lord's signifying: and -the cause why He shewed it is to make us rejoice in Him and in all -His works. When I saw His Shewing continued, I understood that it -was shewed for a great thing that was for to come, which thing God -shewed that He Himself should do it: which deed hath these properties -aforesaid. And this shewed He well blissfully, signifying that I should -take it myself faithfully and trustingly. - -But what this deed should be was kept secret from me. - -And in this I saw that He willeth not that we dread to know the things -that He sheweth: He sheweth them because He would have us know them; by -which knowing He would have us love Him and have pleasure and endlessly -enjoy in Him. For the great love that He hath to us He sheweth us all -that is worshipful and profitable for the time. And the things that He -will now have privy, yet of His great goodness He sheweth them _close_: -in which shewing He willeth that we believe and understand that we -shall see the same verily in His endless bliss. Then ought we to -rejoice in Him for all that He sheweth and all that He hideth; and if -we steadily[2] and meekly do thus, we shall find therein great ease; -and endless thanks we shall have of Him therefor. - -And this is the understanding of this word:--That it shall be done for -me, meaneth that it shall be done for the general Man: that is to say, -all that shall be saved. It shall be worshipful and marvellous and -plenteous, and God Himself shall do it; and this shall be the highest -joy that may be, to behold the deed that God Himself shall do, and man -shall do right nought but sin. Then signifieth our Lord God thus, as -if He said: _Behold and see! Here hast thou matter of meekness, here -hast thou matter of love, here hast thou matter to make nought of[3] -thyself, here hast thou matter to enjoy in me;--and, for my love, enjoy -[thou] in me: for of all things, therewith mightest thou please me -most_. - -And as long as we are in this life, what time that we by our folly turn -us to the beholding of the reproved, tenderly our Lord God toucheth us -and blissfully calleth us, saying in our soul: _Let be all thy love, my -dearworthy child: turn thee to me--I am enough to thee--and enjoy in -thy Saviour and in thy salvation_. And that this is our Lord's working -in us, I am sure the soul that hath understanding[4] therein by grace -shall see it and feel it. - -And though it be so that this deed be truly taken for the general Man, -yet it excludeth not the special. For what our good Lord will do by His -poor creatures, it is now unknown to me. - -But this deed and that other aforesaid, they are not both one but two -sundry. This deed shall be done sooner (and that [time] shall be as we -come to Heaven), and to whom our Lord giveth it, it may be known here -in part. But that Great Deed aforesaid shall neither be known in Heaven -nor earth till it is done. - -And moreover He gave special understanding and teaching of working of -miracles, as thus:--_It is known that I have done miracles here afore, -many and diverse, high and marvellous, worshipful and great. And so as -I have done, I do now continually, and shall do in coming of time_. - -It is known that afore miracles come sorrow and anguish and -tribulation[5]; and that is for that we should know our own feebleness -and our mischiefs that we are fallen in by sin, to meeken us and make -us to dread God and cry for help and grace. Miracles come after that, -and they come of the high Might, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, shewing -His virtue and the joys of Heaven so far at it may be in this passing -life: and that to strengthen our faith and to increase our hope, in -charity. Wherefore it pleaseth Him to be known and worshipped in -miracles. Then signifieth He thus: He willeth that we be not borne over -low for sorrow and tempests that fall to us: for it hath ever so been -afore miracle-coming. - -[1] "lettyn his goodnes werkyng." - -[2] "wilfully." - -[3] "to nowten." - -[4] "is a perceyvid" (S. de Cressy, "pearced"; Collins, "pierced";) = -has perception. - -[5] See v., xlviii., lix., lxi. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVII - -"In every soul that shall be saved is a Godly Will that never assented - to sin, nor ever shall."--"For failing of Love on our part, therefore - is all our travail" - - -God brought to my mind that I should sin. And for pleasance that I had -in beholding of Him, I attended not readily to that shewing; and our -Lord full mercifully abode, and gave me grace to attend. And this -shewing I took singularly to myself; but by all the gracious comfort -that followeth, as ye shall see, I was learned to take it for all mine -even-Christians: _all in general and nothing in special_: though our -Lord shewed me that I should sin, by me alone is understood all. - -And therein I conceived a soft dread. And to this our Lord answered: -_I keep thee full surely_. This word was said with more love and -secureness and spiritual keeping than I can or may tell. For as it -was shewed that [I][1] should sin, right so was the comfort shewed: -secureness and keeping for all mine even-Christians. - -What may make me more to love mine even-Christians than to see in God -that He loveth all that shall be saved as it were all one soul? - -For in every soul that shall be saved is a Godly Will that never -assented to sin, nor ever shall. Right as there is a beastly will in -the lower part that may will no good, right so there is a Godly Will in -the higher part, which will is so good that it may never will evil, but -ever good. And therefore we are that which He loveth and endlessly we -do that which Him pleaseth. - -This shewed our Lord in [shewing] the wholeness of love that we stand -in, in His sight: yea, that He loveth us now as well while we are here, -as He shall do while we are there afore His blessed face. But for -failing of love on our part, therefore is all our travail. - -[1] Perhaps the omitted word is "_all_"; but de Cressy has "I" as -above: "that I should sin." - - - - - CHAPTER XXXVIII - -In Heaven "the token of sin is turned to worship."--_Examples thereof_ - - -Also God shewed that sin shall be no shame to man, but worship. For -right as to every sin is answering a pain by truth, right so for every -sin, to the same soul is given a bliss by love: right as diverse sins -are punished with diverse pains according as they be grievous, right so -shall they be rewarded with diverse joys in Heaven according as they -have been painful and sorrowful to the soul in earth. For the soul that -shall come to Heaven is precious to God, and the place so worshipful -that the goodness of God suffereth never that soul to sin that shall -come there without that the which sin shall be rewarded; and it is made -known without end, and blissfully restored by overpassing worship. - -For in this Sight mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and -then God brought merrily to my mind David, and others in the Old Law -without number; and in the New Law He brought to my mind first Mary -Magdalene, Peter and Paul, and those of Inde;[1] and Saint John of -Beverley[2]; and others also without number: how they are known in the -Church in earth with their sins, and it is to them no shame, but all is -turned for them to worship. And therefore our courteous Lord sheweth -[it thus] for them here in part like as it is there in fulness: for -there the token of sin is turned to worship. - -And Saint John of Beverley, our Lord shewed him full highly, in -comfort to us for homeliness; and brought to my mind how he is a dear -neighbour,[3] and of our knowing. And God called him _Saint John of -Beverley_ plainly as we do, and that with a most glad sweet cheer, -shewing that he is a full high saint in Heaven in His sight, and a -blissful. And with this he made mention that in his youth and in his -tender age he was a dearworthy servant to God, greatly God loving and -dreading, and yet God suffered him to fall, mercifully keeping him that -he perished not, nor lost no time. And afterward God raised him to -manifold more grace, and by the contrition and meekness that he had in -his living, God hath given him in Heaven manifold joys, overpassing -that [which] he should have had if he had not fallen. And that this is -sooth, God sheweth in earth with plenteous miracles doing about his -body continually. - -And all this was to make us glad and merry in love. - -[1] S. Thomas and S. Jude. According to tradition the Gospel was -carried to India by these Apostles. - -[2] S. John of Beverley was consecrated Bishop of Hexham in 687, -and was afterwards Archbishop of York. "He founded the monastery of -Beverley in the midst of the wood called Deira, among the ruins of the -deserted Roman settlement of Pentuaria. This monastery, like so many -others of the Anglo-Saxons, was a double community of monks and nuns. -In 718 John retired for the remaining years of his life to Beverley, -where he died in 721 on the 7th of May.... He was canonised in 1037. -Henschenius the Bollandist, in the second tome of May, has published -books of the miracles wrought at the relicks of St John of Beverley -written by eye-witnesses. His sacred bones were honourably translated -into the church of Alfric, Archbishop of York, in 1037. A feast in -honour of his translation was kept on the 25th of October."--Alban -Butler's _Lives of the Saints_, etc. - -Perhaps the fact that the Saint's original Feast Day of the 7th of -May occurred on the second day of Julian's illness, had something to -do with his being brought to her mind a few days after with so much -vividness. - -[3] "and browte to mynd how he is an hende neybor and of our -knowyng"--_i.e._ he was a countryman of our own. "hende" = near, -urbane, gentle. - - - - - CHAPTER XXXIX - - "Sin is the sharpest scourge.... By contrition we are made clean, by - compassion we are made ready, and by true longing towards God we are - made worthy" - - -Sin is the sharpest scourge that any chosen soul may be smitten with: -which scourge thoroughly beateth[1] man and woman, and maketh him -hateful in his own sight, so far forth that afterwhile[2] he thinketh -himself he is not worthy but as to sink in hell,--till [that time] when -contrition taketh him by touching of the Holy Ghost, and turneth the -bitterness into hopes of God's mercy. And then He beginneth his wounds -to heal, and the soul to quicken [as it is] turned unto the life of -Holy Church. The Holy Ghost leadeth him to confession, with all his -will to shew his sins nakedly and truly, with great sorrow and great -shame that he hath defouled the fair image of God. Then receiveth he -penance for every sin [as] enjoined by his doomsman[3] that is grounded -in Holy Church by the teaching of the Holy Ghost. And this is one -meekness that greatly pleaseth God; and also bodily sickness of God's -sending, and also sorrow and shame from without, and reproof, and -despite of this world, with all manner of grievance and temptations -that we be cast in,[4] bodily and ghostly. - -Full preciously our Lord keepeth us when it seemeth to us that we are -near forsaken and cast away for our sin and because we have deserved -it. And because of meekness that we get hereby, we are raised well-high -in God's sight by His grace, with so great contrition, and also -compassion, and true longing to God. Then they be suddenly delivered -from sin and from pain, and taken up to bliss, and made even high -saints. - -By contrition we are made clean, by compassion we are made ready, and -by true longing toward God we are made worthy. These are three means, -as I understand, whereby that all souls come to heaven: that is to say, -that have been sinners in earth and shall be saved: for by these three -medicines it behoveth that every soul be healed. Though the soul be -healed, his wounds are seen afore God,--not as wounds but as worships. -And so on the contrary-wise, as we be punished here with sorrow and -penance, we shall be rewarded in heaven by the courteous love of our -Lord God Almighty, who willeth that none that come there lose his -travail in any degree. For He [be]holdeth sin as sorrow and pain to -His lovers, to whom He assigneth no blame, for love. The meed that we -shall receive shall not be little, but it shall be high, glorious, and -worshipful. And so shall shame be turned to worship and more joy. - -But our courteous Lord willeth not that His servants despair, for often -nor for grievous falling: for our falling hindereth[5] not Him to love -us. Peace and love are ever in us, being and working; but we be not -alway in peace and in love. But He willeth that we take heed thus that -He is Ground of all our whole life in love; and furthermore that He is -our everlasting Keeper and mightily defendeth us against our enemies, -that be full fell and fierce upon us;--and so much our need is the more -for [that] we give them occasion by our falling.[6] - -[1] "al forbetyth." S. de Cressy: "all to beateth," Judges ix. 53. - -[2] "otherwhile." - -[3] S. de Cressy: "Dome's-man, _i.e._ Confessarius." - -[4] MS. "will be cast in." - -[5] letteth not Him to love us. - -[6] See chap. lxviii. Inx both passages the Brit. Mus. MS. seems to -have "him," not "hem" = them. The reading here might be: "For we give -_Him_ occasion by our failing"--occasion to keep and defend us: and so -in lxxviii.: "He keepeth us mightily and mercifully in the time that -we are in our sin and among all our enemies that are full fell upon -us;--and so much we are in the more peril. For we give Him occasion -thereto and know not our own need." Or possibly the sense is (1): He -defendeth us "so much [as] our need is the more" [so much more as]; and -(2) "so much [more as] we are in the more peril." But S. de Cressy's -version has in both passages "them," and this reading agrees with chap. -lxxvi.: "We have this [fear] by the stirring of our enemy and by our -own folly and blindness"--we who "fall often into sin." - - - - - CHAPTER XL - - "True love teacheth us that we should hate sin only for love." "To me - was shewed no harder hell than sin." "God willeth that we endlessly - hate the sin and endlessly love the soul, as God loveth it" - - -This is a sovereign friendship of our courteous Lord that He keepeth -us so tenderly while we be in sin; and furthermore He toucheth us -full privily and sheweth us our sin by the sweet light of mercy and -grace. But when we see our self so foul, then ween we that God were -wroth with us for our sin, and then are we stirred of the Holy Ghost -by contrition unto prayer and desire for the amending of our life with -all our mights, to slacken the wrath of God, unto the time we find a -rest in soul and a softness in conscience. Then hope we that God hath -forgiven us our sins: and it is truth. And then sheweth our courteous -Lord Himself to the soul--well-merrily and with glad cheer--with -friendly welcoming as if it[1] had been in pain and in prison, saying -sweetly thus: _My darling I am glad thou art come to me: in all thy -wo I have ever been with thee; and now seest thou my loving and we be -oned in bliss_. Thus are sins forgiven by mercy and grace, and our soul -is worshipfully received in joy like as it shall be when it cometh to -Heaven, as oftentimes as it cometh by the gracious working of the Holy -Ghost and the virtue of Christ's Passion. - -Here understand I in truth that all manner of things are made ready -for us by the great goodness of God, so far forth that what time we be -ourselves in peace and charity, we be verily saved. But because we may -not have this in fulness while we are here, therefore it falleth to -us evermore to live in sweet prayer and lovely longing with our Lord -Jesus. For He longeth ever to bring us to the fulness of joy; as it is -aforesaid, where He sheweth the Spiritual Thirst. - -But now if any man or woman because of all this spiritual comfort that -is aforesaid, be stirred by folly to say or to think: _If this be true, -then were it good to sin [so as] to have the more meed_,--or else to -charge the less [guilt] to sin,--beware of this stirring: for verily -if it come it is untrue, and of the enemy of the same true love that -teacheth us that we should hate sin only for love. I am sure by mine -own feeling, the more that any kind[2] soul seeth this in the courteous -love of our Lord God, the lother he is to sin and the more he is -ashamed. For if afore us were laid [together] all the pains in Hell and -in Purgatory and in Earth--death and other--, and [by itself] sin, we -should rather choose all that pain than sin. For sin is so vile and so -greatly to be hated that it may be likened to no pain which is not sin. -And to me was shewed no harder hell than sin. For a kind[3] soul hath -no hell but sin. - -And [when] we give our intent to love and meekness, by the working of -mercy and grace we are made all fair and clean. As mighty and as wise -as God is to save men, so willing He is. For Christ Himself is [the] -ground of all the laws of Christian men, and He taught us to do good -against ill: here may we see that He is Himself this charity, and doeth -to us as He teacheth us to do. For He willeth that we be like Him in -wholeness of endless love to ourself and to our even-Christians: no -more than His love is broken to us for our sin, no more willeth He that -our love be broken to ourself and to our even-Christians: but [that we] -endlessly hate the sin and endlessly love the soul, as God loveth it. -Then shall we hate sin like as God hateth it, and love the soul as God -loveth it. And this word that He said is an endless comfort: _I keep -thee securely_. - -[1] "he," that is, the soul. - -[2] A naturally-loving, filial human soul. - -[3] A naturally-loving, filial human soul. - - - - - _THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION._ - - CHAPTER XLI - - "_I am the Ground of thy beseeching._" "Also to prayer belongeth - thanking" - - -After this our Lord shewed concerning Prayer. In which Shewing I see -two conditions in our Lord's signifying: one is rightfulness, another -is sure trust. - -But yet oftentimes our trust is not full: for we are not sure that God -heareth us, as we think because of our unworthiness, and because we -feel right nought, (for we are as barren and dry oftentimes after our -prayers as we were afore); and this, in our feeling our folly, is cause -of our weakness.[1] For thus have I felt in myself. - -And all this brought our Lord suddenly to my mind, and shewed these -words, and said: _I am Ground of thy beseeching: first it is my will -that thou have it; and after, I make thee to will it; and after, I make -thee to beseech it and thou beseechest it. How should it then be that -thou shouldst not have thy beseeching?_ - -And thus in the first reason, with the three that follow, our good Lord -sheweth a mighty comfort, as it may be seen in the same words. And in -the first reason,--where He saith: _And thou beseechest it_, there He -sheweth [His] full great pleasance, and endless meed that He will give -us for our beseeching. And in the second reason, where He saith: _How -should it then be?_ etc., this was said for an impossible [thing]. -For it is most impossible that we should beseech mercy and grace, and -not have it. For everything that our good Lord maketh us to beseech, -Himself hath ordained it to us from without beginning. Here may we see -that our beseeching is not cause of God's goodness; and that shewed -He soothfastly in all these sweet words when He saith: _I am [the] -Ground_.--And our good Lord willeth that this be known of His lovers in -earth; and the more that we know [it] the more should we beseech, if it -be wisely taken; and so is our Lord's meaning. - -Beseeching is a true, gracious, lasting will of the soul, oned and -fastened into the will of our Lord by the sweet inward work of the -Holy Ghost. Our Lord Himself, He is the first receiver of our prayer, -as to my sight, and taketh it full thankfully and highly enjoying; and -He sendeth it up above and setteth it in the Treasure, where it shall -never perish. It is there afore God with all His Holy continually -received, ever speeding [the help of] our needs; and when we shall -receive our bliss it shall be given us for a degree of joy, with -endless worshipful thanking from[2] Him. - -Full glad and merry is our Lord of our prayer; and He looketh -thereafter and He willeth to have it because with His grace He maketh -us like to Himself in condition as we are in kind: and so is His -blissful will. Therefore He saith thus: _Pray inwardly,[3] though thee -thinketh it savour thee not: for it is profitable, though thou feel -not, though thou see nought; yea, though thou think thou canst not. -For in dryness and in barrenness, in sickness and in feebleness, then -is thy prayer well-pleasant to me, though thee thinketh it savour thee -nought but little. And so is all thy believing prayer in my sight._ For -the meed and the endless thanks that He will give us, _therefor_ He is -covetous to have us pray continually in His sight. God accepteth the -goodwill and the travail of His servant, howsoever we feel: wherefore -it pleaseth Him that we work both in our prayers and in good living, -by His help and His grace, reasonably with discretion keeping our -powers[4] [turned] to Him, till when that we have Him that we seek, in -fulness of joy: that is, Jesus. And that shewed He in the Fifteenth -[Revelation], farther on, in this word: _Thou shalt have me to thy -meed_. - -And also to prayer belongeth thanking. Thanking is a true inward -knowing, with great reverence and lovely dread turning ourselves -with all our mights unto the working that our good Lord stirreth us -to, enjoying and thanking inwardly. And sometimes, for plenteousness -it breaketh out with voice, and saith: _Good Lord, I thank Thee![5] -Blessed mayst Thou be!_ And sometime when the heart is dry and feeleth -not, or else by temptation of our enemy,--then it is driven by reason -and by grace to cry upon our Lord with voice, rehearing His blessed -Passion and His great Goodness; and the virtue of our Lord's word -turneth into the soul and quickeneth the heart and entereth[6] it by -His grace into true working, and maketh it pray right blissfully. And -truly to enjoy our Lord, it is a full blissful thanking in His sight. - -[1] MS.: "_And this in our felyng our foly is cause of our wekenes._" -S. de Cressy: "And thus in our feelings our folly is cause of our -weakness." - -[2] "of" = by, from. - -[3] "inderly" = inwardly--or from the heart: heartily, as in lxvi. - -[4] _i.e._ Faculties.--MS. "Mights." - -[5] "Grante mercy" = _grand-merci_. - -[6] "entrith," leadeth. - - - - - CHAPTER XLII - - "Prayer is a right understanding of that fulness of joy that is to - come, with accordant longing and sure trust" - - -Our Lord God willeth that we have true understanding, and specially -in three things that belong to our prayer. The first is: _by whom and -how that our prayer springeth. By whom_, He sheweth when He saith: -_I am [the] Ground_; and _how_, by His Goodness: for He saith first: -_It is my will._ The second is: _in what manner and how we should -use our prayer_; and that is that our will be turned unto the will -of our Lord, enjoying: and so meaneth He when He saith: _I make thee -to will it_. The third is that we should know _the fruit and the end -of our prayers_: that is, that we be oned and like to our Lord in -all things; and to this intent and for this end was all this lovely -lesson shewed. And He will help us, and we shall make it so as He saith -Himself;--Blessed may He be! - -For this is our Lord's will, that our prayer and our trust be both -alike large. For if we trust not as much as we pray, we do not full -worship to our Lord in our prayer, and also we tarry[1] and pain our -self. The cause is, as I believe, that we know not truly that our Lord -is [the] Ground on whom our prayer springeth; and also that we know not -that it is given us by the grace of His love. For if we knew this, it -would make us to trust to have, of our Lord's gift, all that we desire. -For I am sure that no man asketh mercy and grace with true meaning, but -if mercy and grace be first given to him. - -But sometimes it cometh to our mind that we have prayed long time, and -yet we think to ourselves that we have not our asking. But herefor -should we not be in heaviness. For I am sure, by our Lord's signifying, -that either we abide a better time, or more grace, or a better gift. He -willeth that we have true knowing in Himself that He is Being; and in -this knowing He willeth that our understanding be grounded, with all -our mights and all our intent and all our meaning; and in this ground -He willeth that we take our place and our dwelling, and by the gracious -light of Himself He willeth that we have understanding of the things -that follow. The first is our noble and excellent making; the second, -our precious and dearworthy again-buying; the third, all-thing that -He hath made beneath us, [He hath made] to serve us, and for our love -keepeth it. Then signifieth He thus, as if He said: _Behold and see -that I have done all this before thy prayers; and now thou art, and -prayest me_. And thus He signifieth that it belongeth to us to learn -that the greatest deeds be [already] done, as Holy Church teacheth; and -in the beholding of this, with thanking, we ought to pray for the deed -that is now in doing: and that is, that He rule and guide us, to His -worship, in this life, and bring us to His bliss. And therefor He hath -done all. - -Then signifieth He thus: that we [should] see that He doeth it, and -that we [should] pray therefor. For the one is not enough. For if we -pray and see not that He doeth it, it maketh us heavy and doubtful; and -that is not His worship. And if we see that He doeth, and we pray not, -we do not our debt, and so may it not be: that is to say, so is it not -[the thing that is] in His beholding. But to see that He doeth it, and -to pray forthwithal,--so is he worshipped and we sped. All-thing that -our Lord hath ordained to do, it is His will that we pray therefor, -either in special or in general. And the joy and the bliss that it is -to Him, and the thanks and the worship that we shall have therefor, it -passeth the understanding of creatures, as to my sight. - -For prayer is a right[2] understanding of that fulness of joy that is -to come, with well-longing and sure trust. Failing of our bliss that we -be kindly ordained to, maketh us to long; true understanding and love, -with sweet mind in our Saviour, graciously maketh us to trust. And in -these two workings our Lord beholdeth us continually[3]: for it is our -due part, and His Goodness may no less assign to us. - -Thus it belongeth to us to do our diligence; and when we have done it, -then shall us yet think that [it] is nought,--and sooth it is. But -if we do as we can, and ask, in truth, for mercy and grace, all that -faileth us we shall find in Him. And thus signifieth He where He saith: -_I am Ground of thy beseeching_. And thus in this blessed word, with -the Shewing, I saw a full overcoming against all our weakness and all -our doubtful dreads. - -[1] _i.e._ torment, tire, hinder. - -[2] "rythwis" = right manner of. - -[3] Or: 'And for these two workings our Lord looketh to us -continually.' See above: "so is it not in His beholding," and chap. -xliii. "for He beholdeth us in love and would make us partners of His -good deed." - - - - - CHAPTER XLIII - - "Prayer uniteth the soul to God" - - -Prayer oneth the soul to God. For though the soul be ever like to -God in kind and substance, restored by grace, it is often unlike in -condition, by sin on man's part. Then is prayer a witness that the soul -willeth as God willeth; and it comforteth the conscience and enableth -man to grace. And thus He teacheth us to pray, and mightily to trust -that we shall have it. For He beholdeth us in love and would make us -partners of His good deed, and therefore He stirreth us to pray for -that which it pleaseth him to do. For which prayer and good will, that -we have of His gift, He will reward us and give us endless meed. - -And this was shewed in this word: _And thou beseechest it_. In this -word God shewed so great pleasance and so great content, as though He -were much beholden to us for every good deed that we do (and yet it -is _He_ that doeth it) because that we beseech Him mightily to do all -things that seem to Him good: as if He said: _What might then please me -more than to beseech me, mightily, wisely, and earnestly, to do that -thing that I shall do?_ - -And thus the soul by prayer accordeth to God. - -But when our courteous Lord of His grace sheweth Himself to our soul, -we have that [which] we desire. And then we see not, for the time, -what we should more pray, but all our intent with all our might is -set wholly to the beholding of Him. And this is an high unperceivable -prayer, as to my sight: for all the cause wherefor we pray it, is oned -into the sight and beholding of Him to whom we pray; marvellously -enjoying with reverent dread, and with so great sweetness and delight -in Him that we can pray right nought but as He stirreth us, for the -time. And well I wot, the more the soul seeth of God, the more it -desireth Him by His grace. - -But when we see Him not so, then feel we need and cause to pray, -because of failing, for enabling of our self, to Jesus. For when the -soul is tempested, troubled, and left to itself by unrest, then it is -time to pray, for to make itself pliable and obedient[1] to God. (But -the soul by no manner of prayer maketh God pliant to it: for He is ever -alike in love.) - -And this I saw: that what time we see needs wherefor we pray, then -our _good Lord followeth us_, helping our desire; and when we of His -special grace plainly behold Him, seeing none other needs, then _we -follow Him_ and He draweth us unto Him by love. For I saw and felt that -His marvellous and plentiful Goodness fulfilleth all our powers; and -therewith I saw that His continuant working in all manner of things is -done so goodly, so wisely, and so mightily, that it overpasseth all our -imagining, and all that we can ween and think; and then we can do no -more but behold Him, enjoying, with an high, mighty desire to be all -oned unto Him,--centred to His dwelling,--and enjoy in His loving and -delight in His goodness. - -And then shall we, with His sweet grace, in our own meek continuant -prayer come unto Him now in this life by many privy touchings of sweet -spiritual sights and feeling, measured to us as our simpleness may bear -it. And this is wrought, and shall be, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, -so long till we shall die in longing, for love. And then shall we all -come into our Lord, our Self clearly knowing, and God fully having; -and we shall endlessly be all had in God: Him verily seeing and fully -feeling, Him spiritually hearing, and Him delectably in-breathing, and -[of] Him sweetly drinking.[2] - -And then shall we see God face to face, homely and fully. The creature -that is made shall see and endlessly behold God which is the Maker. -For thus may no man see God and live after, that is to say, in this -deadly life. But when He of His special grace will shew Himself here, -He strengtheneth the creature above its self, and He measureth the -Shewing, after His own will, as it is profitable for the time. - -[1] "supple and buxum." - -[2] To express the fulness of spiritual perception the mystic seizes -on all the five sense-perceptions as symbols. For the last word S. -de Cressy gives again the word "smelling" (rendered here, above, by -"in-breathing"). Collins reads the Brit. Mus. MS. as "following"; but -the word there is "swelowyng" = swallowing. - - - - - _ANENT CERTAIN POINTS IN THE FOREGOING FOURTEEN REVELATIONS_ - - CHAPTER XLIV - - "God is endless, sovereign Truth,--Wisdom,--Love, not-made; and man's - Soul is a creature in God which hath the same properties made" - - -God shewed in all the Revelations, oftentimes, that man worketh -evermore His will and His worship lastingly without any stinting. And -_what_ this work is, was shewed in the First, and that in a marvellous -example: for it was shewed in the working of the soul of our blissful -Lady, Saint Mary: [that is, the working of] Truth and Wisdom.[1] And -_how_ [it is done] I hope by the grace of the Holy Ghost I shall tell, -as I saw. - -Truth seeth God, and Wisdom beholdeth God, and of these two cometh the -third: that is, a holy marvellous[2] delight in God; which is Love. -Where Truth and Wisdom are verily, there is Love verily, coming of -them both. And all of God's making: for He is endless sovereign Truth, -endless sovereign Wisdom, endless sovereign Love, unmade; and man's -Soul is a creature in God which hath the same properties _made_,[3] -and evermore it doeth that it was made for: it seeth God, it beholdeth -God, and it loveth God. Whereof God enjoyeth in the creature; and the -creature in God, endlessly marvelling. - -In which marvelling he seeth his God, his Lord, his Maker so high, so -great, and so good, in comparison with him that is made, that scarcely -the creature seemeth ought to the self. But the clarity and the -clearness of Truth and Wisdom maketh him to see and to bear witness[4] -that he is made for Love: in which God endlessly keepeth him. - -[1] See chap. iv. - -[2] _i.e. marvelling._ - -[3] chaps. liv., lv. - -[4] "beknowen." - - - - - CHAPTER XLV - - "All heavenly things and all earthly things that belong to Heaven are - comprehended in these two judgments" - - -God deemeth us [looking] upon our Nature-Substance, which is ever -kept one in Him, whole and safe without end: and _this_ doom is -[because] of His rightfulness [in the which it is made and kept]. And -man judgeth [looking] upon our changeable Sense-soul, which seemeth -now one [thing], now other,--according as it taketh of the [higher or -lower] parts,--and [is that which] showeth outward. And _this_ wisdom -[of man's judgment] is _mingled_ [because of the diverse things it -beholdeth]. For sometimes it is good and easy, and sometimes it is hard -and grievous. And in as much as it is good and easy it belongeth to the -rightfulness; and in as much as it is hard and grievous [by reason of -the sin beheld, which sheweth in our Sense-soul,] our good Lord Jesus -reformeth it by [the working in our Sense-soul of] mercy and grace -through the virtue of His blessed Passion, and so bringeth it to the -rightfulness. - -And though these two [judgments] be thus accorded and oned, yet both -shall be known in Heaven without end. The first doom, which is of -God's rightfulness, is [because] of His high endless life [in our -Substance]; and this is that fair sweet doom that was shewed in all the -fair Revelation, in which I saw Him assign to us no manner of blame. -But though this was sweet and delectable, yet in the beholding only of -this, I could not be fully eased: and that was because of the doom of -Holy Church, which I had afore understood and which was continually -in my sight. And therefore by _this_ doom methought I understood that -sinners are worthy sometime of blame and wrath; but these two could -I not see in God; and therefore my desire was more than I can or may -tell. For the higher doom was shewed by God Himself in that same time, -and therefore me behoved needs to take it; and the lower doom was -learned me afore in Holy Church, and therefore I might in no way leave -the lower doom. Then was this my desire: that I might see in God in -what manner that which the doom of Holy Church teacheth is true in His -sight, and how it belongeth to me verily to know it; whereby the two -dooms might both be saved, so as it were worshipful to God and right -way to me. - -And to all this I had none other answer but a marvellous example of a -lord and of a servant, as I shall tell after: and that full mistily -shewed.[1] And yet I stand desiring, and will unto my end, that I might -by grace know these two dooms as it belongeth to me. For all heavenly, -and all earthly things that belong to Heaven, are comprehended in -these two dooms. And the more understanding, by the gracious leading -of the Holy Ghost, that we have of these two dooms, the more we shall -see and know our failings. And ever the more that we see them, the -more, of nature, by grace, we shall long to be fulfilled of endless joy -and bliss. For we are made thereto, and our Nature-Substance is now -blissful in God, and hath been since it was made, and shall be without -end. - -[1] Chap. li. - - - - - CHAPTER XLVI - - "It is needful to see and to know that we are sinners: wherefore we - deserve pain and wrath." "He is God: Good, Life, Truth, Love, Peace: - His Clarity and His Unity suffereth Him not to be wroth" - - -But our passing life that we have here in our sense-soul knoweth not -what our Self is. [And when we verily and clearly see and know what -our Self is][1] then shall we verily and clearly see and know our Lord -God in fulness of joy. And therefore it behoveth needs to be that the -nearer we be to our bliss, the more we shall long [after it]: and -that both by nature and by grace. We may have knowing of our Self in -this life by continuant help and virtue of our high Nature. In which -knowing we may exercise and grow, by forwarding and speeding of mercy -and grace; but we may never fully know our Self until the last point: -in which point this passing life and manner of pain and woe shall have -an end. And therefore it belongeth properly to us, both by nature and -by grace, to long and desire with all our mights to know our Self in -fulness of endless joy. - -And yet in all this time, from the beginning to the end, I had two -manner of beholdings. The one was endless continuant love, with -secureness of keeping, and blissful salvation,--for of this was all -_the Shewing_. The other was of the common teaching of Holy Church, in -which I was afore informed and grounded--and with all my will having in -use and understanding. And the beholding of _this_ went not from me: -for by the Shewing I was not stirred nor led therefrom in no manner -of point, but I had therein teaching to love it and find it good[2]: -whereby I might, by the help of our Lord and His grace, increase and -rise to more heavenly knowing and higher loving. - -And thus in all the Beholding methought it was needful to see and to -know that we are sinners, and do many evils that we ought to leave, -and leave many good deeds undone that we ought to do: wherefore we -deserve pain and wrath. And notwithstanding all this, I saw soothfastly -that our Lord was never wroth, nor ever shall be. For He is God: Good, -Life, Truth, Love, Peace; His Clarity[3] and His Unity suffereth Him -not to be wroth. For I saw truly that it is against the property of -His Might to be wroth, and against the property of His Wisdom, and -against the property of His Goodness. God is the Goodness that may not -be wroth, for He is not [other] but Goodness: our soul is oned to Him, -unchangeable Goodness, and between God and our soul is neither wrath -nor forgiveness in His sight. For our soul is so fully oned to God of -His own Goodness that between God and our soul may be right nought. - -And to this understanding was the soul led by love and drawn by might -in every Shewing: _that it is thus_ our good Lord shewed, and _how it -is thus in truth of His great Goodness_. And He willeth that we desire -to learn it--that is to say, as far as it belongeth to His creature -to learn it. For all things that the simple soul[4] understood, God -willeth that they be shewed and [made] known. For the things that He -will have privy, mightily and wisely Himself He hideth them, for love. -For I saw in the same Shewing that much privity is hid, which may never -be known until the time that God of His goodness hath made us worthy -to see it; and therewith I am well-content, abiding our Lord's will in -this high marvel. And now I yield me to my Mother, Holy Church, as a -simple child oweth. - -[1] So S. de Cressy has it. There is evidently an omission in the MS. -of part of this sentence. See lvi., lxxii. The dim sight of God comes -before the dim sight of the Self, but the clear sight of God comes -after the clear sight of the Self. - -[2] "like it." - -[3] Cressy has: "He is Peace; and His Might, His Wisdom, His Charity, -and His Unity," etc. - -[4] Chap. ii. "a simple creature"; "the soul," xxiv., xiii., etc., and -xxxii. p. 64. - - - - - CHAPTER XLVII - - "We fail oftentimes of the sight of Him, and anon we fall into our - self, and then find we no feeling of right,--nought but contrariness - that is in our self" - - -Two things belong to our soul as duty: the one is that we reverently -marvel, the other that we meekly suffer, ever enjoying in God. For He -would have us understand that we shall in short time see clearly in -Himself all that we desire. - -And notwithstanding all this, I beheld and marvelled greatly: _What -is the mercy and forgiveness of God?_ For by the teaching that I had -afore, I understood that the mercy of God should be the forgiveness of -His wrath after the time that we have sinned. For methought that to a -soul whose meaning and desire is to love, the wrath of God was harder -than any other pain, and therefore I took[1] that the forgiveness of -His wrath should be one of the principal points of His mercy. But -howsoever I might behold and desire, I could in no wise see this point -in all the Shewing.[2] - -But how I understood and saw of the work of mercy, I shall tell -somewhat, as God will give me grace. I understood this: Man is -changeable in this life, and by frailty and overcoming falleth into -sin: he is weak and unwise of himself, and also his will is overlaid. -And in this time he is in tempest and in sorrow and woe; and the cause -is blindness: for he seeth not God. For if he saw God continually, -he should have no mischievous feeling, nor any manner of motion or -yearning that serveth to sin.[3] - -Thus saw I, and felt in the same time; and methought that the sight and -the feeling was high and plenteous and gracious in comparison with that -which our common feeling is in this life; but yet I thought it was but -small and low in comparison with the great desire that the soul hath to -see God. - -For I felt in me five manner of workings, which be these: Enjoying, -mourning, desire, dread, and sure hope. Enjoying: for God gave me -understanding and knowing that it was Himself that I saw; mourning: -and that was for failing; desire: and that was I might see Him ever -more and more, understanding and knowing that we shall never have -full rest till we see Him verily and clearly in heaven; dread was: -for it seemed to me in all that time that that sight should fail, and -I be left to myself; sure hope was in the endless love: that I saw I -should be kept by His mercy and brought to His bliss. And the joying -in His sight with this sure hope of His merciful keeping made me to -have feeling and comfort so that mourning and dread were not greatly -painful. And yet in all this I beheld in the Shewing of God that this -manner of sight may not be continuant in this life,--and that for His -own worship and for increase of our endless joy. And therefore we fail -oftentimes of the sight of Him, and anon we fall into our self, and -then find we no feeling of right,--naught but contrariness that is in -our self; and that of the elder root of our first sin,[4] with all the -sins that follow, of our contrivance. And in this we are in travail and -tempest[5] with feeling of sins, and of pain in many divers manners, -spiritual and bodily, as it is known to us in this life. - -[1] understood--took it. - -[2] "But for nowte that I myte beholden and desyrin I could not se." - -[3] "ne no manner steryng ne [or _ye_ = the] yernyng." - -[4] _i.e._ contrariness, springing from the beginning of sin in the -first fall of man. - -[5] "traveylid and tempested." - - - - - CHAPTER XLVIII - - "I beheld the property of Mercy, and I beheld the property of Grace: - which have two manners of working in one love" - - -But our good Lord the Holy Ghost, which is endless life dwelling in -our soul, full securely keepeth us; and worketh therein a peace and -bringeth it to ease by grace, and accordeth it to God and maketh it -pliant.[1] And this is the mercy and the way that our Lord continually -leadeth us in as long as we be here in this life which is changeable. - -For I saw no wrath but on man's part; and that forgiveth He in us. -For wrath is not else but a forwardness and a contrariness to peace -and love; and either it cometh of failing of might, or of failing of -wisdom, or of failing of goodness: which failing is not in God, but is -on our part. For we by sin and wretchedness have in us a wretched and -continuant contrariness to peace and to love. And that shewed He full -often in His lovely Regard of Ruth and Pity.[2] For the ground of mercy -is love, and the working of mercy is our keeping in love. And this was -shewed in such manner that I could[3] not have perceived of the part of -mercy but as it were alone in love; that is to say, as to my sight. - -Mercy is a sweet gracious working in love, mingled with plenteous pity: -for mercy worketh in keeping us, and mercy worketh turning to us all -things to good. Mercy, by love, suffereth us to fail in measure and -in as much as we fail, in so much we fall; and in as much as we fall, -in so much we die: for it needs must be that we die in so much as we -fail of the sight and feeling of God that is our life. Our failing is -dreadful, our falling is shameful, and our dying is sorrowful: but in -all this the sweet eye of pity and love is lifted never off us, nor the -working of mercy ceaseth.[4] - -For I beheld the property of mercy, and I beheld the property of -grace: which have two manners of working in one love. Mercy is a -pitiful property which belongeth to the Motherhood in tender love; and -grace is a worshipful property which belongeth to the royal Lordship -in the same love. Mercy worketh: keeping, suffering, quickening, and -healing; and all is tenderness of love. And grace worketh: raising, -rewarding, endlessly overpassing that which our longing and our travail -deserveth, spreading abroad and shewing the high plenteous largess[5] -of God's royal Lordship in His marvellous courtesy; and this is of -the abundance of love. For grace worketh our dreadful failing into -plenteous, endless solace; and grace worketh our shameful falling into -high, worshipful rising; and grace worketh our sorrowful dying into -holy, blissful life. - -For I saw full surely that ever as our contrariness worketh to us here -in earth pain, shame, and sorrow, right so, on the contrary wise, grace -worketh to us in heaven solace, worship, and bliss; and overpassing. -And so far forth, that when we come up and receive the sweet reward -which grace hath wrought for us, then we shall thank and bless our -Lord, endlessly rejoicing that ever we suffered woe. And that shall be -for a property of blessed love that we shall know in God which we could -never have known without woe going before. - -And when I saw all this, it behoved me needs to grant that the mercy of -God and the forgiveness is to slacken and waste _our_ wrath. - -[1] "buxum" = ready to bend or obey. - -[2] "lovely chere," loving Look. See li., lxxi., etc. - -[3] "I cowth not a perceyven of." - -[4] "But in all this the swete eye of pite and love cumith never of us, -ne the werkyng of mercy cesyth not." - -[5] or largeness. - - - - - CHAPTER XLIX - - "Where our Lord appeareth, peace is taken, and wrath hath no place." - "Immediately is the soul made at one with God when it is truly set at - peace in itself" - - -For this was an high marvel to the soul which was continually shewed in -all the Revelations, and was with great diligence beholden, that our -Lord God, anent Himself may not forgive, for He may not be wroth: it -were impossible. For this was shewed: that our life is all grounded and -rooted in love, and without love we may not live; and therefore to the -soul that of His special grace seeth so far into the high, marvellous -Goodness of God, and seeth that we are endlessly oned to Him in love, -it is the most impossible that may be, that God should be wroth. -For wrath and friendship be two contraries. For He that wasteth and -destroyeth our wrath and maketh us meek and mild,--it behoveth needs -to be that He [Himself] be ever one in love, meek and mild: which is -contrary to wrath. - -For I saw full surely that where our Lord appeareth, peace is taken and -wrath hath no place. For I saw no manner of wrath in God, neither for -short time nor for long;--for in sooth, as to my sight, if God might -be wroth for an instant,[1] we should never have life nor place nor -being. For as verily as we have our being of the endless Might of God -and of the endless Wisdom and of the endless Goodness, so verily we -have our keeping in the endless Might of God, in the endless Wisdom, -and in the endless Goodness. For though we feel in ourselves, [frail] -wretches, debates and strifes, yet are we all-mannerful enclosed in -the mildness of God and in His meekness, in His benignity and in His -graciousness.[2] For I saw full surely that all our endless friendship, -our place, our life and our being, is in God. - -For that same endless Goodness that keepeth us when we sin, that we -perish not, the same endless Goodness continually treateth in us a -peace against our wrath and our contrarious falling, and maketh us to -see our need with a true dread, and mightily to seek unto God to have -forgiveness, with a gracious desire of our salvation. And though we, by -the wrath and the contrariness that is in us, be now in tribulation, -distress, and woe, as falleth to our blindness and frailty, yet are we -_securely_ safe by the merciful keeping of God, that we perish not. -But we are not _blissfully_ safe, in having of our endless joy, till -we be all in peace and in love: that is to say, full pleased with God -and with all His works, and with all His judgments, and loving and -peaceable with our self and with our even-Christians and with all that -God loveth, as love beseemeth.[3] And this doeth God's Goodness in us. - -Thus saw I that God is our very Peace, and He is our sure Keeper when -we are ourselves in unpeace, and He continually worketh to bring us -into endless peace. And thus when we, by the working of mercy and -grace, be made meek and mild, we are fully safe; suddenly is the soul -oned to God when it is truly peaced in itself: for in Him is found no -wrath. And thus I saw when we are all in peace and in love, we find -no contrariness, nor no manner of letting through that contrariness -which is now in us; [nay], our Lord of His Goodness maketh it to us -full profitable. For that contrariness is cause of our tribulations -and all our woe, and our Lord Jesus taketh them and sendeth them up to -Heaven, and there are they made more sweet and delectable than heart -may think or tongue may tell. And when we come thither we shall find -them ready, all turned into very fair and endless worships. Thus is -God our steadfast Ground: and He shall be our full bliss and make us -unchangeable, as He is, when we are there. - -[1] "a touch." - -[2] "buxumhede." - -[3] "liketh." - - - - - CHAPTER L - - "The blame of our sin continually hangeth upon us." "In the sight of -God the soul that shall be saved was never dead, nor ever shall be dead" - - -And in this life mercy and forgiveness is our way and evermore leadeth -us to grace. And by the tempest and the sorrow that we fall into on our -part, we be often dead as to man's doom in earth; but in the sight of -God the soul that shall be saved was never dead, nor ever shall be. - -But yet here I wondered and marvelled with all the diligence of my -soul, saying thus within me: _Good Lord, I see Thee that art very -Truth; and I know in truth[1] that we sin grievously every day and be -much blameworthy; and I may neither leave the knowing of Thy truth,[2] -nor do I see Thee shew to us any manner of blame. How may this be?_ - -For I knew by the common teaching of Holy Church and by mine own -feeling, that the blame of our sin continually hangeth upon us, from -the first man unto the time that we come up unto heaven: then was this -my marvel that I saw our Lord God shewing to us no more blame than if -we were as clean and as holy as Angels be in heaven. And between these -two contraries my reason was greatly travailed through my blindness, -and could have no rest for dread that His blessed presence should pass -from my sight and I be left in unknowing [of] how He beholdeth us in -our sin. For either [it] behoved me to see in God that sin was all done -away, or else me behoved to see in God how He seeth it, whereby I might -truly know how it belongeth to me to see sin, and the manner of our -blame. My longing endured, Him continually beholding;--and yet I could -have no patience for great straits[3] and perplexity, thinking: _If I -take it thus that we be no sinners and not blameworthy, it seemeth as I -should err and fail of knowing of this truth[4]; and if it be so that -we be sinners and blameworthy,--Good Lord, how may it then be that I -cannot see this true thing[5] in Thee, which art my God, my Maker, in -whom I desire to see all truths?_[6] - -For three points make me hardy to ask it. The first is, because it is -so low a thing: for if it were an high thing I should be a-dread. The -second is, that it is so common: for if it were special and privy, also -I should be a-dread. The third is, that it needeth me to know it (as -methinketh) if I shall live here for knowing of good and evil, whereby -I may, by reason and grace, the more dispart them asunder, and love -goodness and hate evil, as Holy Church teacheth. I cried inwardly, -with all my might seeking unto God for help, saying thus: _Ah! Lord -Jesus, King of bliss, how shall I be eased? Who shall teach me and tell -me that [thing] me needeth to know, if I may not at this time see it in -Thee?_ - -[1] "sothly." - -[2] "sothe." - -[3] "awer," liii. note 1. - -[4] "soth." - -[5] "sothnes." - -[6] "trueths." - - - - - CHAPTER LI - -"He is the Head, and we be His members." "Therefore our Father nor may - nor will more blame assign to us than to His own Son, precious and - worthy Christ" - - -And then our Courteous Lord answered in shewing full mistily a -wonderful example of a Lord that hath a Servant: and He gave me sight -to my understanding of both. Which sight was shewed doubly in the -Lord and doubly in the Servant: the one part was shewed spiritually -in bodily likeness, and the other part was shewed more spiritually, -without bodily likeness. - -For the first [sight], thus, I saw two persons in bodily likeness: that -is to say, a Lord and a Servant; and therewith God gave me spiritual -understanding. The Lord sitteth stately in rest and in peace; the -Servant standeth by afore his Lord reverently, ready to do his Lord's -will. The Lord looketh upon his Servant full lovingly and sweetly, and -meekly he sendeth him to a certain place to do his will. The Servant -not only he goeth, but suddenly he starteth, and runneth in great -haste, for love to do his Lord's will. And anon he falleth into a -slade,[1] and taketh full great hurt. And then he groaneth and moaneth -and waileth and struggleth, but he neither may rise nor help himself by -no manner of way. - -And of all this the most mischief[2] that I saw him in, was failing of -comfort: for he could not turn his face to look upon his loving Lord, -which was to him full near,--in Whom is full comfort;--but as a man -that was feeble and unwise for the time, he turned his mind[3] to his -feeling and endured in woe. - -In which woe he suffered seven great pains. The first was the sore -bruising that he took in his falling, which was to him feelable pain; -the second was the heaviness of his body; the third was feebleness -following from these two; the fourth, that he was blinded in his reason -and stunned in his mind, so far forth that almost he had forgotten his -own love; the fifth was that he might not rise; the sixth was most -marvellous to me, and that was that he lay all alone: I looked all -about and beheld, and far nor near, high nor low, I saw to him no help; -the seventh was that the place which he lay on was a long, hard, and -grievous [place]. - -I marvelled how this Servant might meekly suffer there all this woe, -and I beheld with carefulness to learn if I could perceive in him any -fault, or if the Lord should assign to him any blame. And in sooth -there was none seen: for only his goodwill and his great desire was -cause of his falling; and he was unlothful, and as good inwardly as -when he stood afore his Lord, ready to do his will. And right thus -continually his loving Lord full tenderly beholdeth him. But now with -a _double_ manner of Regard: one outward, full meekly and mildly, -with great ruth and pity,--and this was of the first [sight], another -_inward,_ more spiritually,--and this was shewed with a leading of mine -understanding into the Lord, [in the] which I saw Him highly rejoicing -for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His Servant -to by His plenteous grace; and this was of that other shewing. - -And now [was] my understanding led again into the first [sight]; both -keeping in mind. Then saith this courteous Lord in his meaning: _Lo, -lo, my loved Servant, what harm and distress he hath taken in my -service for my love,--yea, and for his goodwill. Is it not fitting that -I award him [for] his affright and his dread, his hurt and his maim -and all his woe? And not only this, but falleth it not to me to give -a gift that [shall] be better to him, and more worshipful, than his -own wholeness should have been?--or else methinketh I should do him no -grace._ - -And in this an inward spiritual Shewing of the Lord's meaning descended -into my soul: in which I saw that it behoveth needs to be, by virtue of -His great [Goodness] and His own worship, that His dearworthy Servant, -which He loved so much, should be verily and blissfully rewarded, above -that he should have been if he had not fallen. Yea, and so far forth, -that his falling and his woe, that he hath taken thereby, shall be -turned into high and overpassing worship and endless bliss. - -And at this point the shewing of the example vanished, and our good -Lord led forth mine understanding in sight and in shewing of the -Revelation to the end. But notwithstanding all this forth-leading, the -marvelling over the example went never from me: for methought it was -given me for an answer to my desire, and yet could I not take therein -full understanding to mine ease at that time. For in the Servant that -was shewed for Adam, as I shall tell, I saw many diverse properties -that might in no manner of way be assigned[4] to single Adam. And -thus in that time I stood for much part in unknowing: for the full -understanding of this marvellous example was not given me in that time. -In which mighty example three properties of the Revelation be yet -greatly hid; and notwithstanding this [further forthleading], I saw and -understood that every Shewing is full of secret things [left hid]. - -And therefore me behoveth now to tell three properties in which I -am somewhat eased. The first is the beginning of teaching that I -understood therein, in the same time; the second is the inward teaching -that I have understood therein afterward; the third, all the whole -Revelation from the beginning to the end (that is to say of this Book) -which our Lord God of His goodness bringeth oftentimes freely to the -sight of mine understanding. And these three are so oned, as to my -understanding, that I cannot, nor may, dispart them. And by these -three, as one, I have teaching whereby I ought to believe and trust in -our Lord God, that of the same goodness of which He shewed it, and for -the same end, right so, of the same goodness and for the same end He -shall declare it to us when it is His will. - -For, twenty years after the time of the Shewing, save three months, -I had teaching inwardly, as I shall tell: _It belongeth to thee to -take heed to all the properties and conditions that were shewed in the -example, though thou think that they be misty and indifferent[5] to thy -sight_. I assented willingly, with great desire, and inwardly [beheld] -with heedfulness[6] all the points and properties that were shewed in -the same time, as far forth as my wits and understanding would serve: -beginning my beholding at the Lord and at the Servant, and the manner -of sitting of the Lord, and the place that he sat on, and the colour of -his clothing and the manner of shape, and his countenance without, and -his nobleness and his goodness within; at the manner of standing of the -Servant, and the place where, and how; at his manner of clothing, the -colour and the shape; at his outward having and at his inward goodness -and his unloathfulness. - -The Lord that sat stately in rest and in peace, I understood that He is -God. The Servant that stood afore the Lord, I understood that it was -shewed for Adam: that is to say, one man was shewed, that time, and his -falling, to make it thereby understood how God beholdeth All-Man and -his falling. For in the sight of God all man is one man, and one man -is all man. This man was hurt in his might and made full feeble; and -he was stunned in his understanding so that he [was] turned from the -beholding of his Lord. But his will was kept whole in God's sight;--for -his will I saw our Lord commend and approve. But himself was letted and -blinded from the knowing of this will; and this is to him great sorrow -and grievous distress: for neither doth he see clearly his loving Lord, -which is to him full meek and mild, nor doth he see truly what himself -is in the sight of his loving Lord. And well I wot when these two are -wisely and truly seen, we shall get rest and peace here in part, and -the fulness of the bliss of Heaven, by His plenteous grace. - -And this was a beginning of teaching which I saw in the same time, -whereby I might come to know in what manner He beholdeth us in our sin. -And then I saw that only Pain blameth and punisheth, and our courteous -Lord comforteth and sorroweth; and ever He is to the soul in glad -Cheer, loving, and longing to bring us to His bliss. - -The place that the Lord sat on was simple, on the earth, barren and -desert, alone in wilderness; his clothing was ample and full seemly, -as falleth to a Lord; the colour of his cloth was blue as azure, most -sad and fair, his cheer was merciful; the colour of his face was -fair-brown,--with full seemly features; his eyes were black, most fair -and seemly, shewing [_outward_] full of lovely _pity_, and [shewing], -_within_ him, an high Regard,[7] long and broad, all full of endless -heavens. And the lovely looking wherewith He looked upon His Servant -continually,--and especially in his falling,--methought it might melt -our hearts for love and burst them in two for joy. The fair looking -shewed [itself] of a seemly mingledness which was marvellous to behold: -the one [part] was Ruth and Pity, the other was Joy and Bliss. The -Joy and Bliss passeth as far Ruth and Pity as Heaven is above earth: -the Pity was earthly and the Bliss was heavenly: the Ruth and Pity of -the Father was [in regard] of the falling of Adam, which is His most -loved creature; the Joy and Bliss was [in regard] of His dearworthy -Son, which is even with the Father. The Merciful Beholding of His -Countenance[8] of love fulfilled all earth and descended down with Adam -into hell, with which continuant pity Adam was kept from endless death. -And thus Mercy and Pity dwelleth with mankind unto the time we come up -into Heaven. - -But man is blinded in this life and therefore we may not see our -Father, God, as He is. And what time that He of His goodness -willeth to shew Himself to man, He sheweth Himself homely, as man. -Notwithstanding, I reason, in verity[9] we ought to know and believe -that the Father is not man. - -But his sitting on the earth barren and desert, is to signify this:--He -made man's soul to be His own City and His dwelling-place: which is -most pleasing to Him of all His works. And what time that man was -fallen into sorrow and pain, he was not all seemly to serve in that -noble office; and therefore our Lord Father would prepare Himself -no other place, but would sit upon the earth abiding mankind, which -is mingled with earth, till what time by His grace His dearworthy -Son had brought again His City into the noble fairness with His hard -travail. The blueness of the clothing betokeneth His steadfastness; the -brownness of his fair face, with the seemly blackness of the eyes, was -most accordant to shew His holy soberness. The length and breadth of -his garments, which were fair, flaming about, betokeneth that He hath, -beclosed in Him, all Heavens, and all Joy and Bliss:[10] and this was -shewed in a touch [of time], where I have said: _Mine understanding -was led into the Lord_; in which [inward shewing] I saw Him highly -_rejoice_ for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His -servant to by His plenteous grace. - -And yet I marvelled, beholding the Lord and the Servant aforesaid. I -saw the Lord sit stately, and the Servant standing reverently afore his -Lord. In which Servant there is double understanding, one _without_, -another _within. Outwardly_:--he was clad simply, as a labourer which -were got ready for his toil;[11] and he stood full near the Lord--not -evenly in front[12] of him, but in part to one side, on the left. His -clothing was a white kirtle, single, old, and all defaced, dyed with -sweat of his body, strait-fitting to him, and short--as it were an -handful beneath the knee; [thread]bare, seeming as it should soon be -worn out, ready to be ragged and rent. And of this I marvelled greatly, -thinking: this is now an unseemly clothing for the Servant that is so -greatly loved to stand in afore so worshipful a Lord. And _inwardly_ in -him was shewed a ground of love: which love that he had to the Lord was -even-like[13] to the love that the Lord had to him. - -The wisdom of the Servant saw inwardly that there was one thing to -do which should be to the worship of the Lord. And the Servant, for -love, having no regard to himself nor to nothing that might befall -him, hastily he started and ran at the sending of his Lord, to do that -thing which was his will and his worship. For it seemed by his outward -clothing as he had been a continuant labourer of long time, and by the -_inward sight_ that I had both of the Lord and the Servant it seemed -that he was a[14] new [one], that is to say, new beginning to travail: -which Servant was never sent out afore. - -There was a treasure in the earth which the Lord loved. I marvelled and -thought what it might be, and I was answered in mine understanding: _It -is a food which is delectable and pleasant to the Lord_. For I saw the -Lord sit as a man, and I saw neither meat nor drink wherewith to serve -him. This was one marvel. Another marvel was that this majestic Lord -had no servant but one, and him he sent out. I beheld, thinking what -manner of labour it might be that the Servant should do. And then I -understood that he should do the greatest labour and hardest travail: -that is, he should be a gardener, delve and dyke, toil and sweat, -and turn the earth upside-down, and seek the deepness, and water the -plants in time. And in this he should continue his travail and make -sweet floods to run, and noble and plenteous fruits to spring, which he -should bring afore the Lord to serve him therewith to his desire. And -he should never turn again till he had prepared this food all ready as -he knew that it pleased the Lord. And then he should take this food, -with the drink in the food, and bear it full worshipfully afore the -Lord. And all this time the Lord should sit in the same place, abiding -his Servant whom he sent out. - -And yet I marvelled from whence the Servant came. For I saw in the Lord -that HE hath within Himself endless life, and all manner of goodness, -save that treasure that was in the earth. And [also] _that_ [treasure] -was grounded in the Lord in marvellous deepness of endless love, but -it was not all to His worship till the Servant had thus nobly prepared -it, and brought it before Him in himself present. And without the Lord -was nothing but wilderness. And I understood not all what this example -meant, and therefore I marvelled whence the Servant came. - -In the Servant is comprehended the Second Person in the Trinity; and -in the Servant is comprehended Adam: that is to say, All-Man. And -therefore when I say the _Son_, it meaneth the Godhead which is even -with the Father; and when I say the _Servant_, it meaneth Christ's -Manhood, which is rightful Adam. By the nearness of the Servant is -understood the Son, and by the standing on the left side is understood -Adam. The Lord is the Father, God; the Servant is the Son, Christ -Jesus; the Holy Ghost is Even[15] Love which is in them both. - -When Adam fell, God's Son fell: because of the rightful oneing which -had been made in heaven, God's Son might not [be disparted] from Adam. -(For by Adam I understand All-Man.) Adam fell from life to death, into -the deep[16] of this wretched world, and after that into hell: God's -Son fell with Adam, into the deep[17] of the Maiden's womb, who was the -fairest daughter of Adam; and for this end: to excuse Adam from blame -in heaven and in earth; and mightily He fetched him out of hell. - -By the wisdom and goodness that was in the Servant is understood -God's Son; by the poor clothing as a labourer standing near the left -side, is understood the Manhood and Adam, with all the scathe[18] and -feebleness that followeth. For in all this our good Lord shewed His own -Son and Adam but _one_ Man. The virtue and the goodness that we have is -of Jesus Christ, the feebleness and the blindness that we have is of -Adam: which two were shewed in the Servant. - -And thus hath our good Lord Jesus taken upon Him all our blame, and -therefore our Father nor may nor will more blame assign to us than to -His own Son, dearworthy Christ. Thus was He, the Servant, afore His -coming into earth standing ready afore the Father in purpose, till what -time He would send Him to do that worshipful deed by which mankind was -brought again into heaven;--that is to say, notwithstanding that He is -God, even with the Father as anent the Godhead. But in His foreseeing -purpose that He would be Man, to save man in fulfilling of His Father's -will, so He stood afore His Father as a Servant, willingly[19] taking -upon Him all our charge. And then He started full readily at the -Father's will, and anon He fell full low, into the Maiden's womb, -having no regard to Himself nor to His hard pains. - -The white kirtle is the flesh; the singleness is that there was right -nought atwix the Godhead and Manhood; the straitness is poverty; the -eld is of Adam's wearing; the defacing, of sweat of Adam's travail; the -shortness sheweth the Servant's labour. - -And thus I saw the Son saying in His meaning[20]: _Lo! my dear Father, -I stand before Thee in Adam's kirtle, all ready to start and to run: I -would be in the earth to do Thy worship when it is Thy will to send me. -How long shall I desire?_ Full soothfastly wist the Son when it would -be the Father's will and how long He should desire: that is to say, -[He wist it] anent the Godhead: for He is the Wisdom of the Father; -wherefore this question was shewed with understanding of the _Manhood_ -of Christ. For all mankind that shall be saved by the sweet Incarnation -and blissful Passion of Christ, all is the Manhood of Christ: for He -is the Head and we be His members. To which members the day and the -time is unknown when every passing woe and sorrow shall have an end, -and the everlasting joy and bliss shall be fulfilled; which day and -time for to see, all the Company of Heaven longeth. And all that shall -be under heaven that shall come thither, their way is by longing and -desire. Which desire and longing was shewed in the Servant's standing -afore the Lord,--or else thus in the Son's standing afore the Father in -Adam's kirtle. For the longing[21] and desire of all Mankind that shall -be saved appeared in Jesus: for Jesus is All that shall be saved, and -All that shall be saved is Jesus. And all of the Charity of God; with -obedience, meekness, and patience, and virtues that belong to us. - -Also in this marvellous example I have teaching with me as it were -the beginning of an A.B.C., whereby I have some understanding of -our Lord's meaning. For the secret things of the Revelation be hid -therein;--notwithstanding that _all_ the Shewings are full of secret -things. The _sitting_ of the Father betokeneth His Godhead: that is -to say, by shewing of rest and peace: for in the Godhead may be no -travail.[22] And that He shewed Himself as _Lord_, betokeneth His -[governance] to our manhood. The _standing_ of the Servant betokeneth -travail; _on one side_, and on the _left_, betokeneth that he was not -all worthy to stand even-right afore the Lord; his _starting_ was the -Godhead, and the _running_ was the Manhood: for the Godhead started -from the Father into the Maiden's womb, falling into the taking of our -Kind. And in this falling he took great sore: the _sore_ that He took -was our flesh, in which He had also swiftly feeling of deadly pains. -That he stood _adread_ before the Lord and not even-right, betokeneth -that His clothing was not seemly[23] to stand in even-right afore the -Lord, nor _that_ might not, nor should not, be His office while He -was a labourer; nor also He might not sit in rest and peace with the -Lord till He had won His peace rightfully with His hard travail; and -that he stood by the _left_ side [betokeneth] that the Father left -His own Son, willingly,[24] in the Manhood to suffer all man's pains, -without sparing of Him. By that _his kirtle was in point to be ragged -and rent_, is understood the blows, the scourgings, the thorns and the -nails, the drawing and the dragging, His tender flesh rending. (As -I saw in some part [before] how the flesh was rent from the skull, -falling in pieces until the time when the bleeding ceased, and then -it began to dry again, cleaving to the bone.) And by the _struggling -and writhing, groaning and moaning,_ is understood that He might never -rise almightily from the time that He was fallen into the Maiden's -womb, till his body was slain and dead, He yielding the soul into the -Father's hands with all Mankind for whom He was sent. - -And at this point He began first to shew His might: for He went into -Hell, and when He was there He raised up the great Root out of the deep -deepness which rightfully was knit to Him in high Heaven. The body was -in the grave till Easter-morrow, and from that time He lay nevermore. -For then was rightfully ended the struggling and the writhing, the -groaning and the moaning. And our foul deadly flesh that God's Son -took on Him, which was Adam's old kirtle, strait, [worn]-bare, and -short, was then by our Saviour made fair, new, white and bright and of -endless cleanness; loose and long[25]; fairer and richer than was then -the clothing which [before] I saw on the Father: for that clothing was -blue, but Christ's clothing is [coloured] now of a fair seemly medlour, -which is so marvellous that I can it not describe: for it is all of -very worships. - -Now sitteth not the Son on earth in wilderness, but He sitteth in -His noblest Seat, which He made in Heaven most to His pleasing. Now -standeth not the Son afore the Father as a Servant afore the Lord -dreadingly, meanly clad, in part naked; but He standeth afore the -Father even-right, richly clad in blissful largeness, with a Crown -upon His head of precious richness. For it was shewed that _we be His -Crown_: which Crown is the Joy of the Father, the Worship of the Son, -the Satisfying of the Holy Ghost, and endless marvellous Bliss to all -that be in Heaven. Now standeth not the Son afore the Father on the -left side, as a labourer, but He sitteth on His Father's right hand, -in endless rest and peace.[26] (But it is not meant that the Son -sitteth on the right hand, side by side, as one man sitteth by another -in this life,--for there is no such sitting, as to my sight, in the -Trinity,--but He sitteth on His Father's right hand,--that is to say: -in the highest nobleness of the Father's joys.) Now is the Spouse, -God's Son, in peace with His loved Wife, which is the Fair Maiden of -endless Joy. Now sitteth the Son, Very God and Man, in His City in rest -and peace: which [City] His Father hath adight to Him of His endless -purpose; and the Father in the Son; and the Holy Ghost in the Father -and in the Son. - -[1] _i.e._ a steep hollow place; a ravine. - -[2] _i.e._ injury, harm. - -[3] "entended." - -[4] "aret" = reckoned. - -[5] _i.e._ not of definite purport, indistinct. - -[6] "avisement." - -[7] MS. "within him an _heyward_ long and brode, all full of endless -hevyns." Cressy and Collins transcribe this word without explanation, -but give "heavenliness" for "heavens." It seems most likely that "hey" -has been written as if affixed to "ward" (_i.e. "regard," "deeming,"_ -or _"reward"_), or else to _"reward,"_ meaning, as usual, _regard_ -("Beholding"). See pp. 108 and 113. - -If "_an heyward_"--"long and brode all full of endless hevyns,"--were -to be rendered as "an high reward," revealed for the future along -with, though less clearly than, the divine pity for the pains of the -present, reference might be made to Revelation ix. pp. 47, 50: "It is -a joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying to me that ever suffered Passion -for thee." ... "In this feeling mine understanding was lifted up into -Heaven: and there I saw three heavens"; and to Rev. x. p. 51: "then -with a glad Cheer our Lord looked into His Side and beheld, rejoicing. -With His sweet looking He led forth the understanding of His creature -by the same wound into His Side within. And then He shewed a fair -delectable place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be saved -to rest in peace and in love." - -But "Regard" (scope of true, continuing, divine Sight, Insight, -All-comprehending sight) seems more likely to be the true rendering. -"Long and broad" go strangely with the word, but on p. 113 the _length -and breadth_ of the garments is interpreted immediately after the -colour of the eyes, and is said to betoken that "He hath in Him, all -Heavens, and all Joy and Bliss," and indeed these words but fill out -the idea of the more frequently used "high" to signify the "enclosing" -of "endless heavens:" that Sphere of "fulness" which is infinite. -With this passage may be compared one below, on p. 113: "The Merciful -Beholding of His loving Cheer fulfilled all earth and descended -down with Adam into hell, ... and thus Mercy and Pity dwelleth with -mankind unto the time we come up into Heaven." The other, the Inward, -the _high_ Beholding or Regard it not said to "fill" Heaven, but to -be "full of" endless Heavens. So elsewhere it is said that in our -_Sense-soul_, the lower part of human nature, _God dwells_, but that -our _Substance_, the higher part, _dwells in God_. (The regard of Mercy -and Pity is with the Sense-soul; the high Regard of Joy and Bliss is -with the Substance.) P. 132, chap. lv.: "I saw that our Substance is in -God, and also I saw that in our Sense-soul God is." lvi. p. 135:" The -worshipful City that our Lord Jesus sitteth in, it is our Sense-part, -in which He is enclosed; and our Nature-Substance is beclosed in Jesus, -with the blessed Soul of Christ sitting in rest in the Godhead." - -[8] "lofly cher." - -[9] "I reson sothly we owen." - -[10] See p. 112, the "high reward." - -[11] "which wer disposed to travel." - -[12] "even fornempts" = strait opposite. - -[13] _i.e._ equal (MS. "even like"). - -[14] S. de Cressy: "anaved"; MS. "anew." - -[15] _i.e._ equal--see p. 114. "All of the Charity of God," the mutual -love that also embraces created souls, p. 118. - -[16] "the slade." - -[17] "the slade." - -[18] "mischief." - -[19] "wilfully" = voluntarily, of His own Will as God. - -[20] purpose, intent, thought or speech. - -[21] "langor." - -[22] _i.e._ painful toil. "He sitteth ... in peace and rest. And -the Godhead ruleth and careth for heaven and earth and all that is" -(lxvii.). - -[23] "honest." - -[24] "wilfully." - -[25] "wyde and syde" = wide and long. - -[26] But see also xxxix. p. 81, lxxx. p. 194. - - - - - CHAPTER LII - - "We have now matter of mourning: for our sin is cause of Christ's -pains; and we have, lastingly, matter of joy: for endless love made Him - to suffer" - - -And thus I saw that God rejoiceth that He is our Father, and God -rejoiceth that He is our Mother, and God rejoiceth that He is Very -Spouse and our soul is His loved Wife. And Christ rejoiceth that He -is our Brother, and Jesus rejoiceth that He is our Saviour. These are -five high joys, as I understand, in which He willeth that we enjoy; Him -praising, Him thanking, Him loving, Him endlessly blessing. - -All that shall be saved, we have in us, for the time of this life, a -marvellous mingling[1] both of weal and woe: we have in us our Lord -Jesus uprisen, we have in us the wretchedness and the mischief of -Adam's falling, dying. By Christ we are steadfastly kept, and by His -grace touching us we are raised into sure trust of salvation. And by -Adam's falling we are so broken, in our feeling, in diverse manners -by sins and by sundry pains, in which we are made dark, that scarsely -we can take any comfort. But in our intent[2] we abide in God, and -faithfully trust to have mercy and grace; and this is His own working -in us. And of His goodness He openeth the eye of our understanding, by -which we have sight, sometime more and sometime less, according as God -giveth ability to receive. And now we are raised into the one, and now -we are suffered to fall into the other. - -And thus is this medley so marvellous in us that scarsely we know -of our self or of our even-Christian in what way we stand, for the -marvellousness of this sundry feeling. But that same Holy Assent, -_that_ we assent to God when we feel Him, truly setting our will to be -with Him, with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our -might. And then we hate and despise our evil stirrings and all that -might be occasion of sin, spiritual and bodily.[3] And yet nevertheless -when this sweetness is hid, we fall again into blindness, and so into -woe and tribulation in diverse manners. But then is this our comfort, -that we _know in our faith_ that by virtue of Christ which is our -Keeper, we assent never thereto, but we groan there-against, and dure -on, in pain and woe, praying, unto that time that He sheweth Him again -to us. - -And thus we stand in this medley all the days of our life. But He -willeth that we trust that He is lastingly with as. And that in -three manner.--He is with us in Heaven, very Man, in His own Person, -us updrawing; and that was shewed in [the Shewing of] the Spiritual -Thirst. And He is with us in earth, us leading; and that was shewed -in the Third [Shewing], where I saw God in a Point. And He is with us -in our soul, endlessly dwelling, us ruling and keeping; and that was -shewed in the Sixteenth [Shewing], as I shall tell. - -And thus in the Servant was shewed the scathe and blindness of Adam's -falling; and in the Servant was shewed the wisdom and goodness of -God's Son. And in the Lord was shewed the ruth and pity of Adam's woe, -and in the Lord was shewed the high nobility and the endless worship -that Mankind is come to by the virtue of the Passion and death of His -dearworthy Son. And therefore mightily He joyeth in his falling for the -high raising and fulness of bliss that Mankind is come to, overpassing -that we should have had if he had not fallen.--And thus to see this -overpassing nobleness was mine understanding led into God in the same -time that I saw the Servant fall. - -And thus we have, now, matter of mourning: for our sin is cause of -Christ's pains; and we have, lastingly, matter of joy: for endless love -made Him to suffer. And therefore the creature that seeth and feeleth -the working of love by grace, hateth nought but sin: for of all things, -to my sight, love and hate are [the] hardest and most unmeasureable -contraries. And notwithstanding all this, I saw and understood in our -Lord's meaning that we may not in this life keep us from sin as wholly -in full cleanness as we shall be in Heaven. But we may well by grace -keep us from the sins which would lead us to endless pains, as Holy -Church teacheth us; and eschew venial [ones] reasonably up to our -might. And if we by our blindness and our wretchedness any time fall, -we should readily rise, knowing the sweet touching of grace, and with -all our will amend us upon the teaching of Holy Church, according as -the sin is grievous, and go forthwith to God in love; and neither, on -the one side, fall over low, inclining to despair, nor, on the other -side, be over-reckless, as if we made no matter of it[4]; but nakedly -acknowledge our feebleness, finding that we may not stand a twinkling -of an eye but by Keeping of grace, and reverently cleave to God, on Him -only trusting. - -For after one wise is the Beholding by[5] God, and after another wise -is the Beholding by[6] man. For it belongeth to man meekly to accuse -himself, and it belongeth to the proper Goodness of our Lord God -courteously to excuse man. And these be two parts that were shewed in -the double Manner of Regard with which the Lord beheld the falling of -His loved Servant. The one was shewed outward, very meekly and mildly, -with great ruth and pity; and that of endless Love. And right thus -willeth our Lord that we accuse our self, earnestly and truly seeing -and knowing our falling and all the harms that come thereof; seeing -and learning[7] that we can never restore it; and therewith that we -earnestly and truly see and know His everlasting love that He hath to -us, and His plenteous mercy. And thus graciously to see and know both -together is the meek accusing that our Lord asketh of us, and Himself -worketh it where it is. And this is the lower part of man's life, and -it was shewed in the [Lord's] _outward_ manner of Regard. In which -shewing I saw _two_ parts: the one is the rueful falling of man, the -other is the worshipful Satisfaction[8] that our Lord hath made for man. - -The other manner of Regard was shewed _inward_: and that was more -highly and all [fully] _one_.[9] For the life and the virtue that we -have in the lower part is of the higher, and it cometh down to us [from -out] of the Natural love of the [high] Self, by [the working of] grace. -Atwix [the life of] the one and [the life of] the other there is right -nought: for it is all one love. Which one blessed love hath now, in us, -double working: for in the lower part are pains and passions, mercies -and forgiveness, and such other that are profitable; but in the higher -part are none of these, but all one high love and marvellous joy: -in[10] which joy all pains are highly restored. And in this [time] our -Lord showed not only our Excusing[11] [from blame, in His beholding of -our higher part], but the worshipful nobility that He shall bring us -to [by the working of grace in our lower part], turning all our blame -[that is therein, from our falling] into endless worship [when we be -oned to the high Self above].[12] - -[1] "medlour," "medle." - -[2] "menyng." - -[3] "And thus is this medle so mervelous in us that onethys we knowen -of our selfe or of our evyn Cristen in what way we stonden for the -marveloushede of this sundry felyng. But that ilke holy assent that we -assenten to God when we feel hym truly willand to be with him with al -our herte, with al our soule and with al our myte, and than we haten -and dispisen our evil sterings and al that myte be occasion of synne -gostly and bodily." - -[4] "gove no fors" = gave it no force. - -[5] "of." - -[6] "of." - -[7] "witand" = witting. - -[8] "Asseth." - -[9] "and al on"--perhaps for _all is one_. - -[10] "in" = _in, into,_ or _unto_. - -[11] _i.e. Exculpating_--as in Romans ii. 15. - -[12] "Man,--seeing he is not a simple nature--in one aspect of his -being, which is the better, and that I may speak more openly what I -ought to speak, his very self, is immortal; but on the other side, -which is weak and fallen, and which alone is known to those who have -no faith except in sensible things, he is obnoxious to mortality and -mutability."--From the _Didascolon_ of Hugo of St Victor, as quoted in -F. D. Maurice's _Mediæval Philosophy_, p. 147. - - - - - CHAPTER LIII - -"In every soul that shall be saved is a Godly Will that never assented -to sin, nor ever shall." "Ere that He made us He loved us, and when we - were made we loved Him" - - -And I saw that He willeth that we understand He taketh not harder the -falling of any creature that shall be saved than He took the falling of -Adam, which, we know, was endlessly loved and securely kept in the time -of all his need, and now is blissfully restored in high overpassing -joy. For our Lord is so good, so gentle, and so courteous, that He may -never assign default [in those] in whom He shall ever be blessed and -praised. - -And in this that I have now told was my desire in part answered, and my -great difficulty[1] some deal eased, by the lovely, gracious Shewing of -our good Lord. In which Shewing I saw and understood full surely that -in every soul that shall be saved is a Godly Will that never assented -to sin, nor ever shall: which Will is so good that it may never will -evil, but evermore continually it willeth good; and worketh good in the -sight of God. Therefore our Lord willeth that we know this in the Faith -and the belief; and especially that we have all this blessed Will whole -and safe in our Lord Jesus Christ. For that same Kind[2] that Heaven -shall be filled with behoveth needs, of God's rightfulness, so to have -been knit and oned to Him, that therein was kept a Substance -which might never, nor should, be parted from Him; and _that_ through -His own Good Will in His endless foreseeing purpose. - -But notwithstanding this rightful knitting and this endless oneing, yet -the redemption and the again-buying of mankind is needful and speedful -in everything, as it is done for the same intent and to the same end -that Holy Church in our Faith us teacheth. - -For I saw that God _began_ never to love mankind: for right the same -that mankind shall be in endless bliss, fulfilling the joy of God as -anent His works, right so the same, mankind hath been in the foresight -of God: known and loved from without beginning in his[3] rightful -intent. By the endless assent of the full accord of all the Trinity, -the Mid-Person willed to be Ground and Head of this fair Kind: out of -Whom we be all come, in Whom we be all enclosed, into Whom we shall -all wend,[4] in Him finding our full Heaven in everlasting joy, by the -foreseeing purpose of all the blessed Trinity from without beginning. - -For ere that He made us He loved us, and when we were made we loved -Him. And this is a Love that is _made_, [to our Kindly Substance], [by -virtue] of the Kindly Substantial _Goodness_ of the Holy Ghost; Mighty, -in Reason, [by virtue] of the _Might_ of the Father; and Wise, in Mind, -[by virtue] of the _Wisdom_ of the Son. And thus is Man's Soul made by -God and in the same point knit to God. - -And thus I understand that man's Soul is made of nought: that is to -say, it is made, but of nought that is made. And thus:--When God -should make man's body He took the clay of earth, which is a matter -mingled and gathered of all bodily things; and thereof He made man's -body. But to the making of man's Soul He would take right nought, but -made it. And thus is the Nature-made rightfully oned to the Maker, -which is Substantial Nature not-made: that is, God. And therefore it is -that there may nor shall be right nought atwix God and man's Soul. - -And in this endless Love man's Soul is kept whole, as the matter of the -Revelations signifieth and sheweth: in which endless Love we be led -and kept of God and never shall be lost. For He willeth we[5] be aware -that our Soul is a life, which life of His Goodness and His Grace shall -last in Heaven without end, Him loving, Him thanking, Him praising. And -right the same that we shall be without end, the same we were treasured -in God and hid, known and loved from without beginning. - -Wherefore He would have us understand that the noblest thing that ever -He made is mankind: and the fullest Substance and the highest Virtue is -the blessed Soul of Christ. And furthermore He would have us understand -that His[6] dear worthy Soul [of Manhood] was preciously knit to Him in -the making [by Him of Manhood's Substantial Nature] which knot is so -subtle and so mighty that (it)[7]--[man's soul]--is oned into God: in -which oneing it is made endlessly holy. Furthermore He would have us -know that all the souls that shall be saved in Heaven without end, are -knit and oned in this oneing and made holy in this holiness. - -[1] "awer" = awe, travail of perplexity, dilemma--see l. note 3. - -[2] Man's nature. - -[3] Or (it may be): "In His Rightful Intent ... the Mid-Person -willed...." - -[4] "wynden." - -[5] "wetyn" = wit. - -[6] S. de Cressy has "this "; the word in the MS. is more like "his." - -[7] The pronoun "it" given by S. de Cressy is omitted in the MS. The -meaning is, perhaps, that the Manhood-Substance, or Soul of Christ, -was in its making, by the Second Person in the Trinity, so united to -Himself that Man's Substance and each man's soul (in salvation), being -one with it, are one with God the Son. See li. p. 117. - - - - - CHAPTER LIV - - "Faith is nought else but a right understanding, with true belief and -sure trust, of our Being: that we are in God, and God is in us: Whom we - see not" - - -And because of this great, endless love that God hath to all Mankind, -He maketh no disparting in love between the blessed Soul of Christ and -the least soul that shall be saved. For it is full easy to believe and -to trust that the dwelling of the blessed Soul of Christ is full high -in the glorious Godhead, and verily, as I understand in our Lord's -signifying, where the blessed Soul of Christ is, there is the Substance -of all the souls that shall be saved by Christ. - -Highly ought we to rejoice that God dwelleth in our soul, and much more -highly ought we to rejoice that our soul dwelleth in God. Our soul is -_made_ to be God's dwelling-place; and the dwelling-place of the soul -is God, Which is _unmade_. And high understanding it is, inwardly to -see and know that God, which is our Maker, dwelleth in our soul; and an -higher understanding it is, inwardly to see and to know that our soul, -that is made, dwelleth in God's Substance: of which Substance, God, we -are that we are. - -And I saw no difference between God and our Substance: but as it were -all God; and yet mine understanding took that our Substance is in God: -that is to say, that God is God, and our Substance is a creature in -God. For the Almighty Truth of the Trinity is our Father: for He made -us and keepeth us in Him; and the deep Wisdom of the Trinity is our -Mother, in Whom we are all enclosed; the high Goodness of the Trinity -is our Lord, and in Him we are enclosed, and He in us. We are enclosed -in the Father, and we are enclosed in the Son, and we are enclosed -in the Holy Ghost. And the Father is enclosed in us, and the Son is -enclosed in us, and the Holy Ghost is enclosed in us: Almightiness, -All-Wisdom, All-Goodness: one God, one Lord. - -And our faith is a Virtue that cometh of our Nature-Substance into our -Sense-soul by the Holy Ghost; in which all our virtues come to us: for -without that, no man may receive virtue. For it is nought else but a -right understanding, with true belief, and sure trust, of our Being: -that we are in God, and God in us, Whom we see not. And this virtue, -with all other that God hath ordained to us coming therein, worketh -in us great things. For Christ's merciful working is in us, and we -graciously accord to Him through the gifts and the virtues of the Holy -Ghost. This working maketh that we are Christ's children, and Christian -in living. - - - - - CHAPTER LV - - "Christ is our Way"--"Mankind shall be restored from double death" - - -And thus Christ is our Way, us surely leading in His laws, and Christ -in His body mightily beareth us up into heaven. For I saw that -Christ, us all having in Him that shall be saved by Him, worshipfully -presenteth His Father in heaven with us; which present full thankfully -His Father receiveth, and courteously giveth it to His Son, Jesus -Christ: which gift and working is joy to the Father, and bliss to the -Son, and pleasing to the Holy Ghost. And of all things that belong to -us [to do], it is most pleasing to our Lord that we enjoy in this joy -which is in the blessed Trinity [in virtue] of our salvation. (And this -was seen in the Ninth Shewing, where it speaketh more of this matter.) -And notwithstanding all our feeling of woe or weal, God willeth that -we should understand and hold[1] by faith that we are more verily in -heaven than in earth. - -Our Faith cometh of the natural Love of our soul, and of the clear -light of our Reason, and of the steadfast Mind which we have from[2] -God in our first making. And what time that our soul is inspired into -our body, in which we are made sensual, so soon mercy and grace begin -to work, having of us care and keeping with pity and love: in which -working the Holy Ghost formeth, in our Faith, _Hope_ that we shall come -again up above to our Substance, into the Virtue of Christ, increased -and fulfilled through the Holy Ghost. Thus I understood that the -sense-soul is grounded in Nature, in Mercy, and in Grace: which Ground -enableth us to receive gifts that lead us to endless life. - -For I saw full assuredly that our Substance is in God, and also I saw -that in our sense-soul[3] God is: for in the self-[same] point that -our Soul is made sensual, in the self-[same] point is the City of God -ordained to Him from without beginning; into which seat He cometh, -and never shall remove [from] it. For God is never out of the soul: -in which He dwelleth blissfully without end. And this was seen in the -Sixteenth Shewing where it saith: _The place that Jesus taketh in our -soul, He shall never remove [from] it_. And all the gifts that God may -give to creatures, He hath given to His Son Jesus for us: which gifts -He, dwelling in us, hath enclosed in Him unto the time that we be waxen -and grown,--our soul with our body and our body with our soul, either -of them taking help of other,--till we be brought up unto stature, as -nature worketh. And then, in the ground of nature, with working of -mercy, the Holy Ghost graciously inspireth into us gifts leading to -endless life. - -And thus was my understanding led of God to see in Him and to -understand, to perceive and to know, that our soul is _made-trinity_, -like to the unmade blissful Trinity,[4] known and loved from without -beginning, and in the making oned to the Maker, as it is aforesaid. -This sight was full sweet and marvellous to behold, peaceable, restful, -sure, and delectable. - -And because of the worshipful oneing that was thus made by God -betwixt the soul and body, it behoveth needs to be that mankind shall -be restored from double death: which restoring might never be until -the time that the Second Person in the Trinity had taken the lower[5] -part of man's nature; to Whom the highest[6] [part] was oned in the -First-making. And these two parts were in Christ, the higher and the -lower: which is but one Soul; the higher part was one in peace with -God, in full joy and bliss; the lower part, which is sense-nature,[7] -suffered for the salvation of mankind. - -And these two parts [in Christ] were seen and felt in the Eighth -Shewing, in which my body was fulfilled with feeling and mind of -Christ's Passion and His death, and furthermore with this was a subtile -feeling and privy inward sight of the High Part which I was shewed in -the same time when I could not, [even] for the friendly[8] proffer -[made to me], look up into Heaven: and that was because of that mighty -beholding [that I had] of the Inward Life. Which Inward Life is that -High Substance, that precious Soul, [of Christ], which is endlessly -rejoicing in the Godhead. - -[1] "feythyn." - -[2] "of." - -[3] "sensualite." - -[4] Wisdom, Truth, Love or Goodness, p. 93. - -[5] the Sense-soul. - -[6] the Substance. - -[7] "sensualite." - -[8] "wher I myte not for the mene profir lokyn up on to hevyn." "mene" -= medium, is perhaps a sub. in the gen. = intervenor's, intermediary's. -See xix. p. 42 and xxxv. p. 70, S. de Cressy has: "Where I might not -for the mean profer look up"; Collins: "for the meanwhile." - - - - - CHAPTER LVI - - "God is nearer to us than our own soul" "We can never come to full - knowing of God till we know first clearly our own Soul" - - -And thus I saw full surely that it is readier to us to come to -the knowing of God than to know our own Soul. For our Soul is so -deep-grounded in God, and so endlessly treasured, that we may not come -to the knowing thereof till we have first knowing of God, which is the -Maker, to whom it is oned. But, notwithstanding, I saw that we have, -for fulness, to desire wisely and truly to know our own Soul: whereby -we are learned to seek it where it is, and that is, in God. And thus by -gracious leading of the Holy Ghost, we should know them both in one: -whether we be stirred to know God or our Soul, both [these stirrings] -are good and true. - -God is nearer to us than our own Soul: for He is [the] Ground in whom -our Soul standeth, and He is [the] Mean that keepeth the Substance -and the Sense-nature together so that they shall never dispart. For -our soul sitteth in God in very rest, and our soul standeth in God in -very strength, and our Soul is kindly rooted in God in endless love: -and therefore if we will have knowledge of our Soul, and communing and -dalliance therewith, it behoveth to seek unto our Lord God in whom it -is enclosed. (And of this enclosement I saw and understood more in the -Sixteenth Shewing, as I shall tell.) - -And as anent our Substance and our Sense-part, both together may -rightly be called our Soul:[1] and that is because of the oneing that -they have in God. The worshipful City that our Lord Jesus sitteth in is -our Sense-soul, in which He is enclosed: and our Kindly Substance is -enclosed in Jesus with the blessed Soul of Christ sitting in rest in -the Godhead. - -And I saw full surely that it behoveth needs to be that we should be -in longing and in penance unto the time that we be led so deep into -God that we verily and truly know our own Soul. And truly I saw that -into this high deepness our good Lord Himself leadeth us in the same -love that He made us, and in the same love that He bought us by Mercy -and Grace through virtue of His blessed Passion. And notwithstanding -all this, we may never come to full knowing of God till we know first -clearly our own Soul. For until the time that our Soul is in its full -powers[2] we cannot be all fully holy: and that is [until the time] -that our Sense-soul by the virtue of Christ's Passion be brought up to -the Substance, with all the profits of our tribulation that our Lord -shall make us to get by Mercy and Grace. - -I had, in part, [experience of the] Touching [of God in the soul], -and it is grounded in Nature. That is to say, our Reason is grounded -in God, which is Substantial Naturehood.[3] [Out] of this Substantial -Naturehood Mercy and Grace springeth and spreadeth into us, working all -things in fulfilling of our joy: these are our Ground in which we have -our Increase and our Fulfilling. - -These be three properties in one Goodness: and where one worketh, all -work in the things which be _now_ belonging to us. God willeth that we -understand [this], desiring with all our heart to have knowing of them -more and more unto the time that we be fulfilled: for fully to know -them is nought else but endless joy and bliss that we shall have in -Heaven, which God willeth should be begun here in knowing of His love. - -For only by our Reason we may not profit, but if we have evenly -therewith Mind and Love: nor only in our Nature-Ground that we have -in God we may not be saved but if we have, coming of the same Ground, -Mercy and Grace. For of these three working all together we receive -all our Goodness. Of the which the first [gifts] are goods of Nature: -for in our First making God gave us as full goods as we might receive -in our spirit alone,[4]--and also greater goods; but His foreseeing -purpose in His endless wisdom willed that we should be double. - -[1] "& anempts our substance and sensualite it may rytely be clepid our -soule." - -[2] "the full myts." - -[3] "I had in partie touching and it is grounded in kynd: that is to -sey, our reson is groundid in God, which is substantial kyndhede." - -[4] "ffor in our first makyng God gaf us as ful goods and also greter -godes as we myte receivin only in our spirite." In the MS. the word -"spirit" is used only here, where it means "the Substance." - - - - - CHAPTER LVII - - "In Christ our two natures are united" - - -And anent our Substance He made us noble, and so rich that evermore we -work His will and His worship. (Where I say "we," it meaneth Man that -shall be saved.) For soothly I saw that we are that which He loveth, -and do that which Him pleaseth, lastingly without any stinting: and -[that by virtue] of the great riches and of the high noble virtues by -measure come to our soul what time it is knit to our body: in which -knitting we are made Sensual. - -And thus in our Substance we are full, and in our Sense-soul we fail: -which failing God will restore and fulfil by working of Mercy and Grace -plenteously flowing into us out of His own Nature-Goodness.[1] And thus -His Nature-Goodness maketh that Mercy and Grace work in us, and the -Nature-goodness that we have of Him enableth us to receive the working -of Mercy and Grace. - -I saw that our nature is in God whole: in which [whole nature of -Manhood] He maketh diversities flowing out of Him to work His will: -whom Nature keepeth, and Mercy and Grace restoreth and fulfilleth. And -of these none shall perish: for our nature that is the higher part is -knit to God, in the making; and God is knit to our nature that is the -lower part, in our flesh-taking: and thus in Christ our two natures are -oned. For the Trinity is comprehended in Christ, in whom our higher -part is grounded and rooted; and our lower part the Second Person hath -taken: which nature first to Him was made-ready.[2] For I saw full -surely that all the works that God hath done, or ever shall, were fully -known to Him and aforeseen from without beginning. And for Love He made -Mankind, and for the same Love would be Man. - -The next[3] Good that we receive is our Faith, in which our -profiting beginneth. And it cometh [out] of the high riches of our -nature-Substance into our Sensual soul, and it is grounded in us -through the Nature-Goodness of God, by the working of Mercy and Grace. -And thereof come all other goods by which we are led and saved. For the -Commandments of God come therein: in which we ought to have two manners -of understanding: [the one is that we ought to understand and know] -which are His biddings, to love and to keep them; the other is that we -ought to know His forbiddings, to hate and to refuse them. For in these -two is all our working comprehended. Also in our faith come the Seven -Sacraments, each following other in order as God hath ordained them to -us: and all manner of virtues. - -For the same virtues that we have received of our Substance, given to -us in Nature by the Goodness of God,--the same virtues by the working -of Mercy are given to us in Grace through the Holy Ghost, _renewed_: -which virtues and gifts are treasured to us in Jesus Christ. For in -that same[4] time that God knitted Himself to our body in the Virgin's -womb, He took our Sensual soul:[5] in which taking He, us all having -enclosed in Him, oned it to our Substance: in which oneing He was -perfect Man. For Christ having knit in Him each[6] man that shall be -saved, is perfect Man. Thus our Lady is our Mother in whom we are all -enclosed and of her born,[7] in Christ: (for she that is Mother of our -Saviour is Mother of all that shall be saved in our Saviour;) and our -Saviour is our Very Mother in whom we be endlessly borne,[8] and never -shall come out of Him. - -Plenteously and fully and sweetly was this shewed, and it is spoken of -in the First, where it saith: _We are all in Him enclosed and He is -enclosed in us_. And that [enclosing of Him in us] is spoken of in the -Sixteenth Shewing, where it saith: _He sitteth in our soul_. - -For it is His good-pleasure to reign in our Understanding blissfully, -and sit in our Soul restfully, and to dwell in our Soul endlessly, -us all working into Him: in which working He willeth that we be His -helpers, giving to Him all our attending, learning His lores, keeping -His laws, desiring that all be done that He doeth; truly trusting in -Him. - -For soothly I saw that our Substance is in God.[9] - -[1] "kynde godhede." - -[2] "adyte." - -[3] or the _first_. - -[4] "ilk" = "same." - -[5] Here, as above, the MS. term for the "_Sensual soul_" is the -"_Sensualite_." - -[6] "ilk" = "each." - -[7] The MS. word is in both cases "borne," which may mean either _born_ -or _borne_. S. de Cressy gives "born" both for the first word and the -second. See lx. "He sustaineth us within Himself in love," etc.; and -lxiii. "In the taking of our nature He quickened us," etc. - -[8] See preceding note. - -[9] From _The Scale [or Ladder] of Perfection,_ by Walter Hilton -(Fourteenth century), edition of 1659, Part III. ch. ii.:-- - -"The soule of a man is a life consisting of three powers, _Memory, -Understanding,_ and _Will,_ after the image and likeness of the blessed -Trinity.... Whereby you may see, that man's soule (which may be called -a created Trinity) was in its natural state replenished in its three -powers, with the remembrance, sight, and love of the most blessed -uncreated Trinity, which is God.... But when Adam sinned, choosing -love and delight in himselfe, and in the creatures, he lost all his -excellency and dignity, and thou also in him." - -Ch. III. Sec. i. "And though we should prove not to be able to recover -it fully here in this life, yet should we desire and endeavour to -recover the image and likeness of the dignity we had, so that our soul -might be reformed as it were in a shadow by grace to the image of the -Trinity which we had by nature, and hereafter shall have fully in -bliss...." Sec. ii. "Seeke then that which thou hast lost, that thou -mayest finde it; for well I wote, whosoever once hath an inward sight, -but a little of that dignity and that spirituall fairness which a soule -hath by creation, and shall have again by grace, he will loath in his -heart all the blisse, the liking, and the fairnesse of this world.... -Nevertheless as thou hast not as yet seen what it is fully, for thy -spiritual eye is not yet opened, I shall tell thee one word for all, in -the which thou shalt seeke, desire, and finde it; for in that one word -is all that thou hast lost. This word is Jesus.... If thou feelest in -thy heart a great desire to Jesus ... then seekest thou well thy Lord -Jesus. And when thou feelest this desire to God, or to Jesus (for it -is all one) holpen and comforted by a ghostly might, insomuch that it -is turned into love, affection, and spiritual fervour and sweetnesse, -into light and knowing of truth, so that for the time the point of thy -thought is set upon no other created thing, nor feeleth any stirring -of vain-glory, nor of selfe-love, nor any other evill affection (for -they cannot appear at that time) but this thy desire is onely enclosed, -rested, softened, suppled, and annoynted in Jesus, then hast thou found -somewhat of Jesus; I mean not him as he is, but a shadow of him; for -the better that thou findest him, the more shalt thou desire him. Then -observe by what manner of Prayer or Meditation or exercise of Devotion -thou findest greatest and purest desire stirred up in thee to him, and -most feeling of him, by that kind of prayer, exercise, or worke seekest -thou him best, and shalt best finde him.... - -"See then the mercy and courtesie of Jesus. Thou hast lost him, but -where? soothly in thy house, that is to say, in thy soul, that if -thou hadst lost all thy reason of thy soule, by its first sinne, thou -shouldst never have found him again; but he left thee thy reason, and -so he is still in thy soule, and never is quite lost out of it. - -"Nevertheless, thou art never the nearer him, till thou hast found -him. He is in thee, though he be lost from thee; but thou art not in -him, till thou hast found him. This is his mercy also, that he would -suffer himself to be lost onely where he may be found, so that thou -needest not run to _Rome_, nor to _Jerusalem_ to seeke him there, but -turne thy thoughts into thy owne soule, where he is hid, as the Prophet -saith; _Truly thou art the hidden God_, hid in thy soule, and seek him -there. Thus saith he himselfe in the Gospel; _The kingdome of heaven is -likened to a treasure hid in the field, the which when a man findeth, -for joy thereof, he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that -field_. Jesus is a treasure hid in the soule.... - -"As long as Jesus findeth not his image reformed in thee, he is -strange, and the farther from thee: therefore frame and shape thyself -to be arrayed in his likenesse, that is in humility and charity, which -are his liveries, and then will he know thee, and familiarly come -to thee, and acquaint thee with his secrets. Thus saith he to his -Disciples; _Who so loveth me, he shall be loved of my Father, and I -will manifest my selfe unto him_. There is not any vertue nor any good -work that can make thee like to our Lord, without Humility and Charity, -for these two above all other are most acceptable ('most leyf') to -him, which appeareth plainly in the Gospel, where our Lord speaketh of -humility thus; _Learn of me, for I am meeke and humble in heart_. He -saith not, learn of me to go barefoot, or to go into the desart, and -there to fast forty dayes, nor yet to choose to your selves Disciples -(as I did) but learne of me meeknesse, for I am meek and lowly in -heart. Also of charity he saith thus; _This is my Commandment, that ye -love one another as I loved you, for by that shall men know you for -my Disciples_. Not that you worke miracles, or cast out Devills, or -preach, or teach, but that each one of you love one another in charity. -If therefore thou wilt be like him, have humility and charity. Now thou -knowest what charity is, _viz._ To love thy neighbour as thy selfe." - -Chap. IV. Sec. 1.... "Now I shall tell thee (according to my feeble -ability) how thou mayest enter into thy selfe to see the ground of sin, -and destroy it as much as thou canst, and so recover a part of thy -souls dignity.... Draw in thy thoughts ... and set thy intent and full -purpose, as if thou wouldst not seek nor find any thing but onely the -grace and spiritual presence of Jesus." - -"This will be painful; for vaine thoughts will presse into thy heart -very thick, to draw thy minde down to them. And in doing thus, thou -shalt find somewhat, but not Jesus whom thou seekest, but onely a naked -remembrance of his name. But what then shalt thou finde? Surely this; -A darke and ill-favoured image of thy owne soule, which hath neither -light of knowledge nor feeling of love of God.... This is not the image -of Jesus, but the image of sin, which St Paul calleth a _body of sinne -and of death_.... Peradventure now thou beginnest to thinke with thy -selfe what this image is like, and that thou shouldst not study much -upon it, I will tell thee. It is like no bodily thing; What is it then -saist thou? Verily it is _nought_, or no reall thing, as thou shalt -finde, if thou try by doing as I have spoken; that is, draw in thy -thoughts into thy selfe from all bodily things, and then shalt thou -find right _nought_ wherein thy soule may rest. - -"This _nothing_ is nought else but darknesse of conscience, and a -lacking of the love of God and of light; as sin is nought but a want -of good, if it were so that the ground of sin was much abated and -dryed up in thee, and thy soule was reformed right as the image of -Jesus; then if thou didst draw into thy selfe thy heart, thou shouldst -not find this _Nought_, but thou shouldst find Jesus; not only the -naked remembrance of this name, but Jesus Christ in thy soule readily -teaching thee, thou shouldst there find light of understanding, and -no darknesse of ignorance, a love and liking of him; and no pain of -bitternesse, heavinesse, or tediousenesse of him.... - -"And here also thou must beware that thou take Jesus Christ into thy -thoughts against this darknesse in thy mind, by busie prayer and -fervent desire to God, not setting the point of thy thoughts on that -foresaid _Nought_, but on Jesus Christ whom thou desirest. Think -stifly on his passion, and on his Humility, and through his might thou -shalt arise. Do as if thou wouldst beate downe this darke image, and -go through-stitch with it. Thou shalt hate ('agryse') and loath this -darknesse and this _Nought_, just as the Devill, and thou shalt despise -and all to break it ('brest it'). - -"For within this Nought is Jesus hid in his joy, whom thou shalt not -finde with all thy seeking, unlesse thou passe this darknesse of -conscience. - -"This is the ghostly travel I spake of, and the cause of all this -writing is to stir thee thereto, if thou have grace. This darknesse -of conscience, and this _Nought_ is the image of the first _Adam_: St -Paul knew it well, for he said thus of it; As we have before borne the -_image of the earthly man_, that is the first _Adam, right so that we -might now beare the image of the heavenly man_, which is Jesus, the -second _Adam_. St _Paul_ bare this image oft full heavily, for it was -so cumbersome to him, that he cryed out of it, saying thus; _O who -shall deliver me from this body and this image of death_. And then he -comforted himselfe and others also thus: _The grace_ of God through -Jesus Christ." - - - - - CHAPTER LVIII - - "All our life is in three: 'Nature, Mercy, Grace.' The high Might of - the Trinity is our Father, and the deep Wisdom of the Trinity is our - Mother, and the great Love of the Trinity is our Lord" - - -God, the blessed Trinity, which is everlasting Being, right as He is -endless from without beginning, right so it was in His purpose endless, -to make Mankind. Which fair Kind first was prepared[1] to His own -Son, the Second Person. And when He would, by full accord of all the -Trinity, He made us all at once; and in our making He knit us and oned -us to Himself: by which oneing we are kept as clear and as noble as -we were made. By the virtue of the same precious oneing, we love our -Maker and seek Him, praise Him and thank Him, and endlessly enjoy Him. -And this is the work which is wrought continually in every soul that -shall be saved: which is the Godly Will aforesaid. And thus in our -making, God, Almighty, is our Nature's Father; and God, All-Wisdom, is -our Nature's Mother; with the Love and the Goodness of the Holy Ghost: -which is all one God, one Lord. And in the knitting and the oneing He -is our Very, True Spouse, and we His loved Wife, His Fair Maiden: with -which Wife He is never displeased. For He saith: I love thee and thou -lovest me, and our love shall never be disparted in two. - -I beheld the working of all the blessed Trinity: in which beholding -I saw and understood these three properties: the property of the -Fatherhood, the property of the Motherhood, and the property of the -Lordhood, in one God. In our Father Almighty we have our keeping and -our bliss as anent our natural Substance, which is to us by our making, -without beginning. And in the Second Person in skill[2] and wisdom -we have our keeping as anent our Sense-soul: our restoring and our -saving; for He is our Mother, Brother, and Saviour. And in our good -Lord, the Holy Ghost, we have our rewarding and our meed-giving for our -living and our travail, and endless overpassing of all that we desire, -in His marvellous courtesy, of His high plenteous grace. - -For all our life is in _three_: in the first we have our Being, in the -second we have our Increasing, and in the third we have our Fulfilling: -the first is Nature, the second is Mercy, and the third is Grace. - -For the first, I understood that the high Might of the Trinity is our -Father, and the deep Wisdom of the Trinity is our Mother, and the great -Love of the Trinity is our Lord: and all this have we in Nature and in -the making of our Substance.[3] - -And furthermore I saw that the Second Person, which is our Mother as -anent the Substance, that same dearworthy Person is become our Mother -as anent the Sense-soul. For we are double by God's making: that is -to say, Substantial and Sensual. Our Substance is the higher part, -which we have in our Father, God Almighty; and the Second Person of -the Trinity is our Mother in Nature, in making of our Substance: in -whom we are grounded and rooted. And He is our Mother in Mercy, in -taking of our Sense-part. And thus our Mother is to us in diverse -manners working: in whom our parts are kept undisparted. For in our -Mother Christ we profit and increase, and in Mercy He reformeth us -and restoreth, and, by the virtue of His Passion and His Death and -Uprising, oneth us to our Substance. Thus worketh our Mother in Mercy -to all His children which are to Him yielding[4] and obedient. - -And Grace worketh with Mercy, and specially in two properties, as it -was shewed: which working belongeth to the Third Person, the Holy -Ghost. He worketh _rewarding_ and _giving_. Rewarding is a large -giving-of-truth that the Lord doeth to him that hath travailed; -and giving is a courteous working which He doeth freely of Grace, -fulfilling and overpassing all that is deserved of creatures. - -Thus in our Father, God Almighty, we have our being; and in our Mother -of Mercy we have our reforming and restoring: in whom our Parts are -oned and all made perfect Man; and by [reward]-yielding and giving in -Grace of the Holy Ghost, we are fulfilled. - -And our Substance is [in] our Father, God Almighty, and our Substance -is [in][5] our Mother, God, All-wisdom; and our Substance is in our -Lord the Holy Ghost, God All-goodness. For our Substance is whole in -each Person of the Trinity, which is one God. And our Sense-soul is -only in the Second Person Christ Jesus; in whom is the Father and the -Holy Ghost: and in Him and by Him we are mightily taken out of Hell, -and out of the wretchedness in Earth worshipfully brought up into -Heaven and blissfully oned to our Substance: increased in riches and in -nobleness by all the virtues of Christ, and by the grace and working of -the Holy Ghost. - -[1] MS. "adyte to" = ordained to, made ready for. - -[2] MS. "Witt." - -[3] "in our substantiall makyng." - -[4] "buxum." - -[5] S. de Cressy gives the "in" twice missed in the Brit. Mus. MS. - - - - - CHAPTER LIX - -"Jesus Christ that doeth Good against evil is our Very Mother: we have - our Being of Him where the Ground of Motherhood beginneth,--with all - the sweet Keeping by Love, that endlessly followeth." - - -And all this bliss we have by Mercy and Grace: which manner of bliss we -might never have had nor known but if that property of Goodness which -is God had been contraried: whereby we have this bliss. For wickedness -hath been suffered to rise contrary to the Goodness, and the Goodness -of Mercy and Grace contraried against the wickedness and turned all to -goodness and to worship, to all these that shall be saved. For it is -the property in God which doeth good against evil. Thus Jesus Christ -that doeth good against evil is our Very Mother: we have our Being of -Him,--where the Ground of Motherhood beginneth,--with all the sweet -Keeping of Love that endlessly followeth. As verily as God is our -Father, so verily God is our Mother; and that shewed He in all, and -especially in these sweet words where He saith: _I it am_.[1] That is -to say, _I it am, the Might and the Goodness of the Fatherhood; I it -am, the Wisdom of the Motherhood; I it am, the Light and the Grace that -is all blessed Love: I it am, the Trinity, I it am, the Unity: I am the -sovereign Goodness of all manner of things. I am that maketh thee to -love: I am that maketh thee to long: I it am, the endless fulfilling of -all true desires._ - -For there the soul is highest, noblest, and worthiest, where it is -lowest, meekest, and mildest: and [out] of this _Substantial Ground_ we -have all our virtues in our Sense-part by gift of Nature, by helping -and speeding of Mercy and Grace: without the which we may not profit. - -Our high Father, God Almighty, which is Being, He knew and loved us -from afore any time: of which knowing, in His marvellous deep charity -and the foreseeing counsel of all the blessed Trinity, He willed that -the Second Person should become our Mother. Our Father [willeth], our -Mother worketh, our good Lord the Holy Ghost confirmeth: and therefore -it belongeth to us to love our God in whom we have our being: Him -reverently thanking and praising for[2] our making, mightily praying to -our Mother for[3] mercy and pity, and to our Lord the Holy Ghost for[4] -help and grace. - -For in these three is all our life: Nature, Mercy, Grace: whereof we -have meekness and mildness; patience and pity; and hating of sin and -of wickedness,--for it belongeth properly to virtue to hate sin and -wickedness. And thus is Jesus our Very Mother in Nature [by virtue] of -our first making; and He is our Very Mother in Grace, by taking our -nature made. All the fair working, and all the sweet natural office of -dearworthy Motherhood is impropriated[5] to the Second Person: for in -Him we have this Godly Will whole and safe without end, both in Nature -and in Grace, of His own proper Goodness. I understood three manners of -beholding of Motherhood in God: the first is grounded in our Nature's -_making_; the second is _taking_ of our nature,--and there beginneth -the Motherhood of Grace; the third is Motherhood of _working_,--and -therein is a forthspreading by the same Grace, of length and breadth -and height and of deepness without end. And all is one Love. - -[1] it is I. - -[2] MS. "of." - -[3] MS. "of." - -[4] MS. "of." - -[5] Or "appropriated to"; MS. "impropried" = made to be the property -of; assigned and consigned to. - - - - - CHAPTER LX - - "The Kind, loving, Mother" - - -But now behoveth to say a little more of this forthspreading, as I -understand in the meaning of our Lord: how that we be brought again by -the Motherhood of Mercy and Grace into our Nature's place, where that -we were made by the Motherhood of Nature-Love: which kindly-love, it -never leaveth us. - -Our Kind Mother, our Gracious Mother,[1] for that He would all wholly -become our Mother in all things, He took the Ground of His Works full -low and full mildly in the Maiden's womb. (And that He shewed in the -First [Shewing] where He brought that meek Maid afore the eye of mine -understanding in the simple stature as she was when she conceived.) -That is to say: our high God is sovereign Wisdom of all: in this low -place He arrayed and dight Him full ready in our poor flesh, Himself to -do the service and the office of Motherhood in all things. - -The Mother's service is nearest, readiest, and surest: [nearest, for -it is most of nature; readiest, for it is most of love; and surest][2] -for it is most of truth. This office none might, nor could, nor ever -should do to the full, but He alone. We know that all our mothers' -bearing is [bearing of] us to pain and to dying: and what is this but -that our Very Mother, Jesus, He--All-Love--beareth us to joy and to -endless living?--blessed may He be! Thus He sustaineth[3] us within -Himself in love; and travailed, unto the full time that He would suffer -the sharpest throes and the most grievous pains that ever were or ever -shall be; and died at the last. And when He had finished, and so borne -us to bliss, yet might not all this make full content to His marvellous -love; and that sheweth He in these high overpassing words of love: _If -I might suffer more, I would suffer more_. - -He might no more die, but He would not stint of working: wherefore then -it behoveth Him to feed us; for the dearworthy love of Motherhood hath -made Him debtor to us. The mother may give her child suck of her milk, -but our precious Mother, Jesus, He may feed us with Himself, and doeth -it, full courteously and full tenderly, with the Blessed Sacrament -that is precious food of my life; and with all the sweet Sacraments He -sustaineth us full mercifully and graciously. And so meant He in this -blessed word where that He said: _It is I[4] that Holy Church preacheth -thee and teacheth thee._ That is to say: _All the health and life of -Sacraments, all the virtue and grace of my Word, all the Goodness that -is ordained in Holy Church for thee, it is I_. The Mother may lay the -child tenderly to her breast, but our tender Mother, Jesus, He may -homely lead us into His blessed breast, by His sweet open side, and -shew therein part of the Godhead and the joys of Heaven, with spiritual -sureness of endless bliss. And that shewed He in the Tenth [Shewing], -giving the same understanding in this sweet word where He saith: _Lo! -how I loved thee_; looking unto [the Wound in] His side, rejoicing. - -This fair lovely word _Mother_, it is so sweet and so close in Nature -of itself[5] that it may not verily be said of none but of _Him_; -and to her that is very Mother of Him and of all. To the property of -Motherhood belongeth natural love, wisdom, and knowing; and it is -good: for though it be so that our bodily forthbringing be but little, -low, and simple in regard of our spiritual forthbringing, yet it is He -that doeth it in the creatures by whom that it is done. The Kindly,[6] -loving Mother that witteth and knoweth the need of her child, she -keepeth it full tenderly, as the nature[7] and condition of Motherhood -will. And as it waxeth in age, she changeth her working, but not her -love. And when it is waxen of more age, she suffereth that it be -beaten[8] in breaking down of vices, to make the child receive virtues -and graces. This working, with all that be fair and good, our Lord -doeth it in them by whom it is done: thus He is our Mother in Nature by -the working of Grace in the lower part for love of the higher part. And -He willeth that we know this: for He will have all our love fastened -to Him. And in this I saw that all our duty that we owe, by God's -bidding, to Fatherhood and Motherhood, for [reason of] God's Fatherhood -and Motherhood is fulfilled in true loving of God; which blessed love -Christ worketh in us. And this was shewed in all [the Revelations] and -especially in the high plenteous words where He saith: _It is I that -thou lovest_. - -[1] Our Mother by Nature, our Mother In Grace. - -[2] These clauses, probably omitted by mistake, are in S. de Cressy's -version. - -[3] S. de Cressy has "sustained." See lvii. p. 139. - -[4] "I it am." - -[5] "so kynd of the self." - -[6] "kynde." - -[7] "kind." - -[8] "bristinid." - - - - - CHAPTER LXI - -"By the assay of this falling we shall have an high marvellous knowing - of Love in God, without end. For strong and marvellous is that love - which may not, nor will not, be broken for trespass" - - -And in our spiritual forthbringing He useth more tenderness of keeping, -without any likeness: by as much as our soul is of more price in His -sight. He kindleth our understanding, He directeth our ways, He easeth -our conscience, He comforteth our soul, He lighteneth our heart, and -giveth us, in part, knowing and believing in His blissful Godhead, -with gracious mind in His sweet Manhood and His blessed Passion, with -reverent marvelling in His high, overpassing Goodness; and maketh us -to love all that He loveth, for His love, and to be well-pleased with -Him and all His works. And when we fall, hastily He raiseth us by -His lovely calling[1][2] and gracious touching. And when we be thus -strengthened by His sweet working, then we with all our will choose -Him, by His sweet grace, to be His servants and His lovers lastingly -without end. - -And after this He suffereth some of us to fall more hard and more -grievously than ever we did afore, as us thinketh. And then ween we -(who be not all wise) that all were nought that we have begun. But this -is not so. For it needeth us to fall, and it needeth us to see it. -For if we never fell, we should not know how feeble and how wretched -we are of our self, and also we should not fully know that marvellous -love of our Maker. For we shall see verily in heaven, without end, that -we have grievously sinned in this life, and notwithstanding this, we -shall see that we were never hurt in His love, we were never the less -of price in His sight. And by the assay of this falling we shall have -an high, marvellous knowing of love in God, without end. For strong -and marvellous is that love which may not, nor will not, be broken for -trespass. And this is one understanding of [our] profit. Another is the -lowness and meekness that we shall get by the sight of our falling: -for thereby we shall highly be raised in heaven; to which raising -we might[3] never have come without that meekness. And therefore it -needeth us to see it; and if we see it not, though we fell it should -not profit us. And commonly, first we fall and later we see it: and -both of the Mercy of God. - -The mother may suffer the child to fall sometimes, and to be hurt in -diverse manners for its own profit, but she may never suffer that any -manner of peril come to the child, for love. And though our earthly -mother may suffer her child to perish, our heavenly Mother, Jesus, may -not suffer us that are His children to perish: for He is All-mighty, -All-wisdom, and All-love; and so is none but He,--blessed may He be! - -But oftentimes when our falling and our wretchedness is shewed us, we -are so sore adread, and so greatly ashamed of our self, that scarcely -we find where we may hold us. But then willeth not our courteous Mother -that we flee away, for Him were nothing lother. But He willeth then -that we use the condition of a child: for when it is hurt, or adread, -it runneth hastily to the mother for help, with all its might. So -willeth He that we do, as a meek child saying thus: _My kind Mother, my -Gracious Mother, my dearworthy Mother, have mercy on me: I have made -myself foul and unlike to Thee, and I nor may nor can amend it but with -thine help and grace_. And if we feel us not then eased forthwith, be -we sure that He useth the condition of a wise mother. For if He see -that it be more profit to us to mourn and to weep, He suffereth it, -with ruth and pity, unto the best time, for love. And He willeth then -that we use the property of a child, that evermore of nature trusteth -to the love of the mother in weal and in woe. - -And He willeth that we take us mightily to the Faith of Holy Church and -find there our dearworthy Mother, in solace of true Understanding, with -all the blessed Common. For one single person may oftentimes be broken, -as it seemeth to himself, but the whole Body of Holy Church was never -broken, nor never shall be, without end. And therefore a sure thing it -is, a good and a gracious, to will meekly and mightily to be fastened -and oned to our Mother, Holy Church, that is, Christ Jesus. For the -food of mercy that is His dearworthy blood and precious water is -plenteous to make us fair and clean; the blessed wounds of our Saviour -be open and enjoy to heal us; the sweet, gracious hands of our Mother -be ready and diligently about us. For He in all this working useth the -office of a kind nurse that hath nought else to do but to give heed -about[4] the salvation of her child. - -It is His office to save us: it is His worship to do [for] us,[5] and -it is His will [that] we know it: for He willeth that we love Him -sweetly and trust in Him meekly and mightily. And this shewed He in -these gracious words: _I keep thee full surely_. - -[1] "clepyng." - -[2] From the _Ancren Riwle_ (Camden Society's version, edited by J. -Morton, D.D.), p. 231: "The sixth comfort is, that our Lord, when He -suffereth us to be tempted, playeth with us, as the mother with her -young darling: she flies from him, and hides herself, and lets him -sit alone, and look anxiously around, and call _Dame! Dame!_ and weep -awhile; and then she leapeth forth laughing, with outspread arms, -and embraceth and kisseth him, and wipeth his eyes. In like manner, -our Lord sometimes leaveth us alone, and withdraweth His grace, His -comfort, and His support, so that we feel no delight in any good that -we do, nor any satisfaction of heart; and yet, at that very time, our -dear Father loveth us never the less, but doth it for the great love -that He hath to us." - -p. 135: "The fourth reason why our Lord hideth Himself is, that thou -mayest seek him more earnestly, and call, and weep after Him, as the -little baby doth after his mother" ("ase deth thet lutel baban"--in -another manuscript 'lite barn'--"efter his moder"). - -[3] _i.e._ could. - -[4] "entend about." - -[5] S. de Cressy has here "to do it." This MS. seems to have: "to don -us," possibly for to work at us, carry out our salvation to perfection, -or, to take in hand for us, "to _do_ for us." See _The Paston Letters_, -vol. ii. (Letter 472), _May_ 1463, "he prayid hym that he wold don for -hym in hys mater, and gaf hym a reward; and withinne ryth short tym -after, his mater sped." - - - - - CHAPTER LXII - -"God is Very Father and Very Mother of Nature: and all natures that He - hath made to flow out of Him to work His will shall be restored and -brought again into Him by the salvation of Mankind through the working - of Grace" - - -For in that time He shewed our frailty and our fallings, our -afflictings and our settings at nought,[1] our despites and our -outcastings, and all our woe so far forth as methought it might befall -in this life. And therewith He shewed His blessed Might, His blessed -Wisdom, His blessed Love: that He keepeth us in this time as tenderly -and as sweetly to His worship, and as surely to our salvation, as He -doeth when we are in most solace and comfort. And thereto He raiseth us -spiritually and highly in heaven, and turneth it all to His worship and -to our joy, without end. For His love suffereth us never to lose time. - -And all this is of the Nature-Goodness of God, by the working of Grace. -God is Nature[2] in His being: that is to say, that Goodness that is -Nature, it is God. He is the ground, He is the substance, He is the -same thing that is Nature-hood.[3] And He is very Father and very -Mother of Nature: and all natures that He hath made to flow out of Him -to work His will shall be restored and brought again into Him by the -salvation of man through the working of Grace. - -For of all natures[4] that He hath set in diverse creatures by part, -in man is all the whole; in fulness and in virtue, in fairness and -in goodness, in royalty and nobleness, in all manner of majesty, of -preciousness and worship. Here may we see that we are all beholden to -God for nature, and we are all beholden to God for grace. Here may we -see us needeth not greatly to seek far out to know sundry natures, but -to Holy Church, unto our Mother's breast: that is to say, unto our own -soul where our Lord dwelleth; and there shall we find all now in faith -and in understanding. And afterward verily in Himself clearly, in bliss. - -But let no man nor woman take this singularly to himself: for it is -not so, it is general: for it is [of] our precious Christ, and to Him -was this fair nature adight[5] for the worship and nobility of man's -making, and for the joy and the bliss of man's salvation; even as He -saw, wist, and knew from without beginning. - -[1] "our brekyngs and our nowtyngs." - -[2] "kynde." - -[3] "kindhede." - -[4] "kyndes." - -[5] _i.e._ made ready, prepared, appointed. - - - - - CHAPTER LXIII - - "As verily as sin is unclean, so verily is it unkind"--a disease or - monstrous thing against nature. "He shall heal us full fair." - - -Here may we see that we have verily of Nature to hate sin, and we have -verily of Grace to hate sin. For Nature is all good and fair in itself, -and Grace was sent out to save Nature and destroy sin, and bring again -fair nature to the blessed point from whence it came: that is God; with -more nobleness and worship by the virtuous working of Grace. For it -shall be seen afore God by all His Holy in joy without end that Nature -hath been assayed in the fire of tribulation and therein hath been -found no flaw, no fault.[1] Thus are Nature and Grace of one accord: -for Grace is God, as Nature is God: He is two in manner of working and -one in love; and neither of these worketh without other: they be not -disparted. - -And when we by Mercy of God and with His help accord us to Nature and -Grace, we shall see verily that sin is in sooth viler and more painful -than hell, without likeness: for it is contrary to our fair nature. For -as verily as sin is unclean, so verily is it unnatural,[2] and thus an -horrible thing to see for the loved[3] soul that would be all fair and -shining in the sight of God, as Nature and Grace teacheth. - -Yet be we not adread of this, save inasmuch as dread may speed us: -but meekly make we our moan to our dearworthy Mother, and He shall -besprinkle us in His precious blood and make our soul full soft and -full mild, and heal us full fair by process of time, right as it is -most worship to Him and joy to us without end. And of this sweet fair -working He shall never cease nor stint till all His dearworthy children -be born and forthbrought. (And that shewed He where He shewed [me] -understanding of the ghostly Thirst, that is the love-longing that -shall last till Doomsday.) - -Thus in [our] Very Mother, Jesus, our life is grounded, in the -foreseeing Wisdom of Himself from without beginning, with the high -Might of the Father, the high sovereign Goodness of the Holy Ghost. And -in the taking of our nature He quickened us; in His blessed dying upon -the Cross He bare us to endless life; and from that time, and now, and -evermore unto Doomsday, He feedeth us and furthereth us: even as that -high sovereign Kindness of Motherhood, and as Kindly need of Childhood -asketh. - -Fair and sweet is our Heavenly Mother in the sight of our souls; -precious and lovely are the Gracious Children in the sight of our -Heavenly Mother, with mildness and meekness, and all the fair virtues -that belong to children in Nature. For of nature the Child despaireth -not of the Mother's love, of nature the Child presumeth not of itself, -of nature the Child loveth the Mother and each one of the other -[children]. These are the fair virtues, with all other that be like, -wherewith our Heavenly Mother is served and pleased. - -And I understood none higher stature in this life than Childhood, -in feebleness and failing of might and of wit, unto the time that -our Gracious Mother hath brought us up to our Father's Bliss.[4] And -then shall it verily be known to us His meaning in those sweet words -where He saith: _All shall be well: and thou shalt see, thyself, that -all manner of things shall be well_. And then shall the Bliss of our -Mother, in Christ, be new to begin in the Joys of our God: which new -beginning shall last without end, new beginning. - -Thus I understood that all His blessed children which be come out of -Him by Nature shall be brought again into Him by Grace. - -[1] "no lak (blame), no defaute." - -[2] "as sothly as sin is onclene as sothly is it onkinde." - -[3] S. de Cressy has "the loving soul." - -[4] "Our fader bliss." - - - - - - _THE FIFTEENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER LXIV - - "_Thou shalt come up above._" "A very fair creature, a little - Child--nimble and lively, whiter than lily" - - -Afore this time I had great longing and desire of God's gift to be -delivered of this world and of this life. For oftentimes I beheld the -woe that is here, and the weal and the bliss that is being there: (and -if there had been no pain in this life but the absence of our Lord, -methought it was some-time more than I might bear;) and this made me -to mourn, and eagerly to long. And also from mine own wretchedness, -sloth, and weakness, me liked not to live and to travail, as me fell to -do. - -And to all this our courteous Lord answered for comfort and patience, -and said these words: _Suddenly thou shalt be taken from all thy pain, -from all thy sickness, from all thy distress[1] and from all thy woe. -And thou shalt come up above and thou shalt have me to thy meed, and -thou shalt be fulfilled of love and of bliss. And thou shalt never have -no manner of pain, no manner of misliking, no wanting of will; but ever -joy and bliss without end. What should it then aggrieve thee to suffer -awhile, seeing that it is my will and my worship?_ - -And in this word: _Suddenly thou shalt be taken_,--I saw that God -rewardeth man for the patience that he hath in abiding God's will, and -for his time, and [for] that man lengtheneth his patience over the -time of his living. For not-knowing of his time of passing, that is a -great profit: for if a man knew his time, he should not have patience -over that time; but, as God willeth, while the soul is in the body it -seemeth to itself that it is ever at the point to be taken. For all -this life and this languor that we have here is but a point, and when -we are taken suddenly out of pain into bliss then pain shall be nought. - -And in this time I saw a body lying on the earth, which body shewed -heavy and horrible,[2] without shape and form, as it were a swollen -quag of stinking mire.[3] And suddenly out of this body sprang a full -fair creature, a little Child, fully shapen and formed, nimble[4] and -lively, whiter than lily; which swiftly[5] glided up into heaven. -And the swollenness of the body betokeneth great wretchedness of our -deadly flesh, and the littleness of the Child betokeneth the cleanness -of purity in the soul. And methought: _With this body abideth[6] no -fairness of this Child, and on this Child dwelleth no foulness of this -body_. - -It is more blissful that man be taken from pain, than that pain be -taken from man;[7] for if pain be taken from us it may come again: -therefore it is a sovereign comfort and blissful beholding in a loving -soul that we shall be taken from pain. For in this behest[8] I saw -a marvellous compassion that our Lord hath in us for our woe, and a -courteous promising[9] of clear deliverance. For He willeth that we be -comforted in the overpassing;[10] and _that_ He shewed in these words: -_And thou shalt come up above, and thou shalt have me to thy meed, and -thou shalt be fulfilled of joy and bliss_. - -It is God's will that we set the point of our thought in this blissful -beholding as often as we may,--and as long time keep us therein with -His grace; for this is a blessed contemplation to the soul that is led -of God, and full greatly to His worship, for the time that it lasteth. -And [when] we fall again to our heaviness, and spiritual blindness, -and feeling of pains spiritual and bodily, by our frailty, it is God's -will that we know that He hath not forgotten us. And so signifieth He -in these words: _And thou shalt never more have pain; no manner of -sickness, no manner of misliking, no wanting of will; but ever joy and -bliss without end. What should it then aggrieve thee to suffer awhile, -seeing it is my will and my worship?_ - -It is God's will that we take His behests[11] and His comfortings as -largely and as mightily as we may take them, and also He willeth that -we take our abiding and our troubles[12] as lightly as we may take -them, and set them at nought. For the more lightly we take them, and -the less price we set on them, for love, the less pain we shall have -in the feeling of them, and the more thanks and meed we shall have for -them. - -[1] "disese." - -[2] "uggley." - -[3] a "bolned quave of styngand myre." - -[4] "swifie" = agile, quick. - -[5] "sharply." - -[6] "beleveth." - -[7] "full blissful ... mor than." - -[8] _i.e._ promise, proclamation. - -[9] "behoting." - -[10] _i.e._ the exceeding fulness of heavenly bliss. - -[11] See note 8 above. - -[12] "diseases" = discomforts, distresses. - - - - - CHAPTER LXV - - "The Charity of God maketh in us such a unity that, when it is truly - seen, no man can part himself from other" - - -And thus I understood that what man or woman with firm will[1] chooseth -God in this life, for love, he may be sure that he is loved without -end: which endless love worketh in him that grace. For He willeth that -we be as assured in hope of the bliss of heaven while we are here, as -we shall be in sureness while we are there. And ever the more pleasance -and joy that we take in this sureness, with reverence and meekness, the -better pleaseth Him, as it was shewed. This reverence that I mean is -a holy courteous dread of our Lord, to which meekness is united: and -that is, that a creature seeth the Lord marvellous great, and itself -marvellous little. For these virtues are had endlessly by the loved of -God, and this may now be seen and felt in measure through the gracious -presence of our Lord when it is [seen]: which presence in all things -is most desired, for it worketh marvellous assuredness in true faith, -and sure hope, by greatness of charity, in dread that is sweet and -delectable. - -It is God's will that I see myself as much bound[2] to Him in love as -if He had done for me all that He hath done; and thus should every soul -think inwardly of its[3] Lover. That is to say, the Charity of God -maketh in us such a unity that, when it is truly seen, no man can part -himself from other. And thus ought our soul to think that God hath done -for it[4] all that He hath done. - -And this sheweth He to make us to love Him and nought dread but Him. -For it is His will that we perceive that all the might of our Enemy -is taken into our Friend's hand; and therefore the soul that knoweth -assuredly this, he[5] shall not dread but Him that he loveth. All -other dread he[6] setteth among passions and bodily sickness and -imaginations. And therefore though we be in so much pain, woe, and -distress that it seemeth to us we can think [of] right nought but [of] -that [which] we are in, or [of] that [which] we feel, [yet] as soon as -we may, pass we lightly over, and set we it at nought. And why? For -that God willeth we know [Him]; and if we know Him and love Him and -reverently dread Him, we shall have peace, and be in great rest, and -it shall be great pleasance to us, all that He doeth. And this shewed -our Lord in these words: _What should it then aggrieve thee to suffer -awhile, sith it is my will and my worship?_ - -Now have I told you of Fifteen Revelations, as God vouchsafed to -minister them to [my] mind, renewed by lightings and touchings, I hope -of the same Spirit that shewed them all. - -Of which Fifteen Shewings the First began early in the morn, about -the hour of four; and they lasted, shewing by process full fair and -steadily, each following other, till it was nine of the day, overpassed. - -[1] "wilfully." - -[2] "bounden" = beholden. - -[3] "his." - -[4] "him." - -[5] _i.e._ the soul. - -[6] _i.e._ the soul. - - - - - CHAPTER LXVI - -"All was closed, and I saw no more." "For the folly of feeling a little - bodily pain I unwisely lost for the time the comfort of all this - blessed Shewing of our Lord God" - - -And after this the good Lord shewed the Sixteenth [Revelation] on the -night following, as I shall tell after: which Sixteenth was conclusion -and confirmation to all Fifteen. - -But first me behoveth to tell you as anent my feebleness, wretchedness -and blindness.--I have said in the beginning: _And in this [moment] all -my pain was suddenly taken from me:_ of which pain I had no grief nor -distress as long as the Fifteen Shewings lasted following. And at the -end all was close, and I saw no more. And soon I felt that I should -live and languish;[1] and anon my sickness came again: first in my head -with a sound and a din, and suddenly all my body was fulfilled with -sickness like as it was afore. And I was as barren and as dry as [if] -I never had comfort but little. And as a wretched creature I moaned -and cried for feeling of my bodily pains and for failing of comfort, -spiritual and bodily. - -Then came a Religious person to me and asked me how I fared. I said I -had raved to-day. And he laughed loud and heartily.[2] And I said: _The -Cross that stood afore my face, methought it bled fast_. And with this -word the person that I spake to waxed all sober and marvelled. And anon -I was sore ashamed and astonished for my recklessness, and I thought: -_This man taketh in sober earnest[3] the least word that I might say_. -Then said I no more thereof. And when I saw that he took it earnestly -and with so great reverence, I wept, full greatly ashamed, and would -have been shriven; but at that time I could tell it no priest, for I -thought: _How should a priest believe me? I believe not our Lord God._ -This [Shewing] I believed verily for the time that I saw Him, and so -was then my will and my meaning ever for to do without end; but as a -fool I let it pass from my mind. Ah! lo, wretch that I am! this was a -great sin, great unkindness, that I for folly of feeling of a little -bodily pain, so unwisely lost for the time the comfort of all this -blessed Shewing of our Lord God. Here may you see what I am of myself. - -But herein would our Courteous Lord not leave me. And I lay still till -night, trusting in His mercy, and then I began to sleep. And in the -sleep, at the beginning, methought the Fiend set him on my throat, -putting forth a visage full near my face, like a young man's and it was -long and wondrous lean: I saw never none such. The colour was red like -the tilestone when it is new-burnt, with black spots therein like black -freckles--fouler than the tilestone. His hair was red as rust, clipped -in front,[4] with full locks hanging on the temples. He grinned on me -with a malicious semblance, shewing white teeth: and so much methought -it the more horrible. Body nor hands had he none shapely, but with his -paws he held me in the throat, and would have strangled me, but he -might not. - -This horrible Shewing was made [whilst I was] sleeping, and so was none -other. But in all this time I trusted to be saved and kept by the mercy -of God. And our Courteous Lord gave me grace to waken; and scarcely -had I my life. The persons that were with me looked on me, and wet my -temples, and my heart began to comfort. And anon a light smoke came -in the door, with a great heat and a foul stench. I said: _Benedicite -Domine! it is all on fire that is here!_ And I weened it had been a -bodily fire that should have burnt us all to death. I asked them that -were with me if they felt any stench. They said, Nay: they felt none. I -said: _Blessed be God!_ For then wist I well it was the Fiend that was -come to tempest me. And anon I took to that [which] our Lord had shewed -me on the same day, with all the Faith of Holy Church (for I beheld it -is both one), and fled thereto as to my comfort. And anon all vanished -away, and I was brought to great rest and peace, without sickness of -body or dread of conscience. - -[1] "langiren." - -[2] "inderly" = inwardly; so de Cressy; (Collins has "drolly"). - -[3] "sadly" = solidly, soberly. - -[4] "evisid aforn with syde lokks hongyng on the thounys" (or thowngs, -or thoungs). Bradley's _Dictionary of Middle English--thun(?)wange_ = -temple, _evesed_ p. ple of _efesian_ = to clip the edges (_cf. eaves_). -The Paris MS. however reads: "His hair was rede as rust not scoryd -afore, with syde lockes hangyng on the thouwonges." S. de Cressy gives -this as: "his hair was red as rust not scoured; afore with side locks -hanging down in flakes." - - - - - _THE SIXTEENTH REVELATION_ - - CHAPTER LXVII - - "The place that Jesus taketh in our soul He shall never remove from, - without end:--for in us His homliest home and His endless dwelling." - "Our soul can never have rest in things that are beneath itself--yet - may it not abide in the beholding of its self" - - -And then our Lord opened my spiritual eye and shewed me my soul in -midst of my heart. I saw the Soul so large as it were an endless -world, and as it were a blissful kingdom. And by the conditions that -I saw therein I understood that it is a worshipful City. In the midst -of that City sitteth our Lord Jesus, God and Man, a fair Person of -large stature, highest Bishop, most majestic[1] King, most worshipful -Lord; and I saw Him clad majestically.[2] And worshipfully He sitteth -in the Soul, even-right[3] in peace and rest. And the Godhead ruleth -and sustaineth[4] heaven and earth and all that is,--sovereign Might, -sovereign Wisdom, and sovereign Goodness,--[but] the place that Jesus -taketh in _our Soul_ He shall never remove it, without end, as to my -sight: for in us is His _homliest_ home and His _endless_ dwelling.[5] - -And in this [sight] He shewed the satisfying that He hath of the -making of Man's Soul. For as well as the Father might make a creature, -and as well as the Son could make a creature, so well would the Holy -Ghost that Man's Soul were made: and so it was done. And therefore the -blessed Trinity enjoyeth without end in the making of Man's Soul: for -He saw from without beginning what should please Him without end. All -thing that He hath made sheweth His Lordship,--as understanding was -given at the same time by example of a creature that is to see great -treasures and kingdoms belonging to a lord; and when it had seen all -the nobleness beneath, then, marvelling, it was moved to seek above to -the high place where the lord dwelleth, knowing, by reason, that his -dwelling is in the worthiest place. And thus I understood in verity -that our Soul may never have rest in things that are beneath itself. -And when it cometh above all creatures into the Self, yet may it not -abide in the beholding of its Self, but all the beholding is blissfully -set in God that is the Maker dwelling therein. For in Man's Soul is His -very dwelling; and the highest light and the brightest shining of the -City is the glorious love of our Lord, as to my sight. - -And what may make us more to enjoy in God than to see in Him that He -enjoyeth in the highest of all His works? For I saw in the same Shewing -that if the blessed Trinity might have made Man's Soul any better, -any fairer, any nobler than it was made, He should not have been -full pleased with the making of Man's Soul. And He willeth that our -hearts be mightily raised above the deepness of the earth and all vain -sorrows, and rejoice[6] in Him. - -[1] "solemnest." - -[2] "solemnly" = in state. - -[3] _i.e._ straight-set. - -[4] "gemeth." - -[5] "woning." - -[6] "enjoyen." - - - - - CHAPTER LXVIII - - "He said not: _Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be - travailed, thou shalt not be afflicted_; but He said: _Thou shalt not - be overcome_" - - -This was a delectable Sight and a restful Shewing, that it is so -_without end_. The beholding of this while we are here is full pleasing -to God and full great profit to us; and the soul that thus beholdeth, -it maketh it like to Him that is beheld, and oneth it in rest and peace -by His grace. And this was a singular joy and bliss to me that I saw -Him _sitting_: for the [quiet] secureness of sitting sheweth endless -dwelling. - -And He gave me to know soothfastly that it was He that shewed me all -afore. And when I had beheld this with heedfulness, then shewed our -good Lord words[1] full meekly without voice and without opening of -lips, right as He had [afore] done, and said full sweetly: _Wit it now -well that it was no raving that thou sawest to-day: but take it and -believe it, and keep thee therein, and comfort thee therewith, and -trust thou thereto: and thou shalt not be overcome._ - -These Last Words were said for believing and true sureness that it is -our Lord Jesus that shewed me all. And right as in the first word that -our good Lord shewed, signifying His blissful Passion,--_Herewith is -the devil overcome_,--right so He said in the last word, with full -true secureness, meaning us all: _Thou shalt not_ be overcome. And -all this teaching in this true comfort, it is general, to all mine -even-Christians, as it is aforesaid: and so is God's will. - -And this word: _Thou shalt not be overcome_, was said full clearly[2] -and full mightily, for assuredness and comfort against all tribulations -that may come. He said not: _Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shall -not be travailed, thou shah not be afflicted_; but He said: _Thou shalt -not be overcome_. God willeth that we take heed to these words, and -that we be ever strong in sure trust, in weal and woe. For He loveth -and enjoyeth us, and so willeth He that we love and enjoy Him and -mightily trust in Him; and _all shall be well_. - -And soon after, all was close and I saw no more. - -[1] See lxx. "He shewed it all [the Revelation] again within in my -soul." - -[2] "sharply" = decisively. - - - - - CHAPTER LXIX - - "I was delivered from the Enemy by the virtue of Christ's Passion" - - -After this the Fiend came again with his heat and with his stench, -and gave me much ado,[1] the stench was so vile and so painful, and -also dreadful and travailous. Also I heard a bodily jangling,[2] as if -it had been of two persons; and both, to my thinking, jangled at one -time as if they had holden a parliament with a great busy-ness; and -all was soft muttering, so that I understood nought that they said. -And all this was to stir me to despair, as methought,--seeming to -me as [though] they mocked at praying of prayers[3] which are said -boisterously with [the] mouth, failing [of] devout attending and wise -diligence: the which we owe to God in our prayers. - -And our Lord God gave me grace mightily for to trust in Him, and to -comfort my soul with bodily speech as I should have done to another -person that had been travailed. Methought _that_ busy-ness[4] might -not be likened to no bodily busy-ness. My bodily eye I set in the same -Cross where I had been in comfort afore that time; my tongue with -speech of Christ's Passion and rehearsing the Faith of Holy Church; -and my heart to fasten on God with all the trust and the might. And I -thought to myself, saying: _Thou hast now great busy-ness to keep thee -in the Faith for that thou shouldst not be taken of the Enemy: wouldst -thou now from this time evermore be so busy to keep thee from sin, this -were a good and a sovereign occupation!_ For I thought in sooth were I -safe from sin, I were full safe from all the fiends of hell and enemies -of my soul. - -And thus he occupied me all that night, and on the morn till it was -about prime day. And anon they were all gone, and all passed; and they -left nothing but stench, and that lasted still awhile; and I scorned -him. - -And thus was I delivered from him by the virtue of Christ's Passion: -for _therewith is the Fiend overcome_, as our Lord Jesus Christ said -afore. - -[1] "made me full besy." - -[2] _i.e._ gabbling. - -[3] "bidding of bedes." - -[4] see above, "made me full busy." - - - - - CHAPTER LXX - - "Above the Faith is no goodness kept in this life, as to my sight, - and beneath the Faith is no help of soul; but _in_ the Faith, _there_ - willeth the Lord that we keep us" - - -In all this blessed Shewing our good Lord gave understanding that the -Sight should pass: which blessed Shewing the Faith keepeth, with His -own good will and His grace. For He left with me neither sign nor token -whereby I might know it, but He left with me His own blessed word in -true understanding, bidding me full mightily that I should believe it. -And so I do,--Blessed may He be!--I believe that He is our Saviour that -shewed it, and that it is the Faith that He shewed: and therefore I -believe it, rejoicing. And thereto I am bounden by all His own meaning, -with the next words that follow: _Keep thee therein, and comfort thee -therewith, and trust thou thereto_. - -Thus I am bounden to keep it in my faith. For on the same day that it -was shewed, what time that the Sight was passed, as a wretch I forsook -it, and openly I said that I had raved. Then our Lord Jesus of His -mercy would not let it perish, but He showed it all again _within in -my soul_[1] with more fulness, with the blessed light of His precious -love: saying these words full mightily and full meekly: _Wit it now -well: it was no raving that thou sawest this day_. As if He had said: -_For that the Sight was passed from thee, thou losedst it and hadst -not skill to keep[2] it. But wit[3] it now_; that is to say, _now that -thou seest it_. This was said not only for that same time, but also to -set thereupon the ground of my faith when He saith anon following: _But -take it, believe it, and keep thee therein and comfort thee therewith -and trust thou thereto; and thou shalt not be overcome_. - -In these six words that follow (_Take it_--[etc.]) His meaning is to -fasten it faithfully in our heart: for He willeth that it dwell with -us in faith to our life's end, and after in fulness of joy, desiring -that we have ever steadfast trust in His blissful behest--knowing His -Goodness. - -For our faith is contraried in diverse manners by our own blindness, -and our spiritual enemy, within and without; and therefore our precious -Lover helpeth us with spiritual sight and true teaching in sundry -manners within and without, whereby that we may know Him. And therefore -in whatsoever manner He teacheth us, He willeth that we perceive Him -wisely, receive Him sweetly, and keep us in Him faithfully. For above -the Faith is no goodness kept in this life, as to my sight, and beneath -the Faith is no help of soul; but in the Faith, there willeth the Lord -that we keep us. For we have by His goodness and His own working to -keep us in the Faith; and by His sufferance through ghostly enmity we -are assayed in the Faith and made mighty. For if our faith had none -enmity, it should deserve no meed, according to the understanding that -I have in all our Lord's teaching. - -[1] see ch. lxviii. - -[2] "couthest not." - -[3] _i.e._ learn, perceive, know for certainty by the conviction of -reason and consciousness--grasp once for all the truth beheld. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXI - - "Three manners of looking seen in our Lord's Countenance" - - -Glad and joyous and sweet is the Blissful lovely Cheer[1] of our Lord -to our souls. For He [be]holdeth[2] us ever, living in love-longing: -and He willeth that _our_ soul be in glad cheer to Him, to give Him His -meed. And thus, I hope, with His grace He hath [drawn], and more shall -draw, the Outer Cheer to the Inner Cheer, and make us all one with Him, -and each of us with other, in true lasting joy that is Jesus. - -I have signifying of Three manners of Cheer of our Lord. The first is -Cheer of Passion, as He shewed while He was here in this life, dying. -Though this [manner of] Beholding be mournful and troubled, yet it is -glad and joyous: for He is God.--The second manner of Cheer is [of] -Ruth and Compassion: and this sheweth He, with sureness of Keeping, -to all His lovers that betake them[3] to His mercy. The third is the -Blissful Cheer, as it shall be without end: and this was [shewed] -oftenest and longest-continued. - -And thus in the time of our pain and our woe He sheweth us Cheer of -His Passion and His Cross, helping us to bear it by His own blessed -virtue. And in the time of our sinning He sheweth to us Cheer of Ruth -and Pity, mightily keeping us and defending us against all our enemies. -And these be the common Cheer which He sheweth to us in this life; -therewith mingling the third: and that is His Blissful Cheer, like, -in part, as it shall be in Heaven. And that [shewing is] by gracious -touching and sweet lighting of the spiritual life, whereby that we are -kept in sure faith, hope, and charity, with contrition and devotion, -and also with contemplation and all manner of true solace and sweet -comforts. - -[1] "Cher," in earlier chapters rendered by _manner of Countenance_ or -_Regard_. - -[2] The word of the MS. might be: "he havith" (possibly "draweth"), or -"behadith" or "behavith." There is a verb "bi-hawen" _to behold_--in -other forms bihabben, bi-halden--; and "behave" had the meaning of to -_manage, govern_. Elsewhere in the MS. to _regard_, if not _to fix the -eyes upon_, is expressed (_e.g._ in xxxix.) simply by _to "holden"_ -without the prefix. S. de Cressy has here "he beheld." - -[3] "that have to"; S. de Cressy, "have need to." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXII - - "As long as we be meddling with any part of sin we shall never see - clearly the Blissful Countenance of our Lord" - - -But now behoveth me to tell in what manner I saw sin deadly in the -creatures which shall not die for sin, but live in the joy of God -without end. - -I saw that two contrary things should never be together in one place. -The most contrary that are, is the highest bliss and the deepest pain. -The highest bliss that is, is to have Him in clarity of endless life, -Him verily seeing, Him sweetly feeling, all-perfectly having in fulness -of joy. And thus was the Blissful Cheer of our Lord shewed in Pity:[1] -in which Shewing I saw that sin is most contrary,--so far forth that -as long as we be meddling with any part of sin, we shall never see -clearly the Blissful Cheer of our Lord. And the more horrible and -grievous that our sins be, the deeper are we for that time from this -blissful sight. And therefore it seemeth to us oftentimes as we were in -peril of death, in a part of hell, for the sorrow and pain that the sin -is to us. And thus we are dead for the time from the very sight of our -blissful life. But in all this I saw soothfastly that we be not dead in -the sight of God, nor He passeth never from us. But He shall never have -His full bliss in us till we have our full bliss in Him, verily seeing -His fair Blissful Cheer. For we are ordained thereto in nature, and get -thereto by grace. Thus I saw how sin is deadly for a short time in the -blessed creatures of endless life. - -And ever the more clearly that the soul seeth this Blissful Cheer -by grace of loving, the more it longeth to see it in fulness. For -notwithstanding that our Lord God dwelleth in us and is here with us, -and albeit He claspeth us and encloseth[2] us for tender love that He -may never leave[3] us, and is more near to us than tongue can tell or -heart can think, yet may we never stint of moaning nor of weeping nor -of longing till when we see Him clearly in His Blissful Countenance. -For in that precious blissful sight there may no woe abide, nor any -weal fail.[4] - -And in this I saw matter of mirth and matter of moaning: matter of -mirth: for our Lord, our Maker, is so near to us, and in us, and we -in Him, by sureness of keeping through His great goodness; matter of -moaning: for our ghostly eye is so blind and we be so borne down by -weight of our mortal flesh and darkness of sin, that we may not see -our Lord God clearly in His fair Blissful Cheer. No; and because of -this dimness[5] scarsely we can believe and trust His great love and -our sureness[6] of keeping. And therefore it is that I say we may -never stint of moaning nor of weeping. This "weeping" meaneth not all -in pouring out of tears by our bodily eye, but also hath more ghostly -understanding. For the kindly desire of our soul is so great and so -unmeasurable, that if there were given us for our solace and for our -comfort all the noble things that ever God made in heaven and in earth, -and we saw not the fair Blissful Cheer[7] of Himself, yet we should -not stint of moaning nor ghostly weeping, that is to say, of painful -longing, till when we [should] see verily the fair Blissful Cheer of -our Maker. And if we were in all the pain that heart can think and -tongue may tell, if we might in that time see His fair Blissful Cheer, -all this pain should not aggrieve us. - -Thus is that Blissful Sight [the] end of all manner of pain to the -loving soul, and the fulfilling of all manner of joy and bliss. And -that shewed He in the high, marvellous words where He said: _I it am -that is highest; I it am that is lowest; I it am that is all_. - -It belongeth to us to have three manner of knowings: the first is that -we know our Lord God; the second is that we know our self: what we are -by Him, in Nature and Grace; the third is that we know meekly what our -self is anent our sin and feebleness. And for these three was all the -Shewing made, as to mine understanding. - -[1] That is: in the Shewing of Pity (Rev. ii) ch. x., in which it was -shewed _darkly_. S. de Cressy has "in _party_" = _part_, but the word -seems to be "_pite_" = _pity_. - -[2] halsith; beclosith. - -[3] levyn; tellen; thyn ken; stint; see. - -[4] "abiden, ne no wele fallen." - -[5] "myrkehede, unethes we can leven and trowen." - -[6] "sekirnes." - -[7] The words "Blissful Cheer" cannot be rendered by the more beautiful -and familiar BLESSED COUNTENANCE, and even "_Blissful_ Countenance" -might fail to bring out the reference to _one Aspect_ of the Divine -Face, one part of the threefold Truth. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXIII - -"Two manners of sickness that we have: impatience, or sloth;--despair, - or mistrustful dread" - - -All the blessed teaching of our Lord was shewed by three parts: that -is to say, by bodily sight, and by word formed in mine understanding, -and by spiritual sight. For the bodily sight, I have said as I saw, as -truly as I can; and for the words, I have said them right as our Lord -shewed them to me; and for the spiritual sight, I have told some deal, -but I may never fully tell it: and therefore of this sight I am stirred -to say more, as God will give me grace. - -God shewed two manners of sickness that we have: the one is impatience, -or sloth: for we bear our travail and our pains heavily; the other is -despair, or doubtful dread, which I shall speak of after. _Generally_, -He shewed _sin_, wherein that all is comprehended, but in special He -shewed only these two. And these two are they that most do travail -and tempest us, according to that which our Lord shewed me; and of -them He would have us be amended. I speak of such men and women as for -God's love hate sin and dispose themselves to do God's will: then by -our spiritual blindness and bodily heaviness we are most inclining to -these. And therefore it is God's will that they be known, for then we -shall refuse them as we do other sins. - -And for help of this, full meekly our Lord shewed the patience that He -had in His Hard Passion; and also the joying and the satisfying that -He hath of that Passion, for love. And this He shewed in example that -we should gladly and wisely bear our pains, for that is great pleasing -to Him and endless profit to us. And the cause why we are travailed -with them is for lack in knowing[1] of Love. Though the three Persons -in the Trinity[2] be all even[3] in Itself, the soul[4] took most -understanding in Love; yea, and He willeth that in all things we have -our beholding and our enjoying in Love. And of this knowing are we most -blind. For some of us believe that God is Almighty and may do all, -and that He is All-Wisdom and can do all; but that He is All-Love and -will do all, there we stop short.[5] And this not-knowing it is, that -hindereth most God's lovers, as to my sight. - -For when we begin to hate sin, and amend us by the ordinance of Holy -Church, yet there dwelleth a dread that letteth us, because of the -beholding of our self and of our sins afore done. And some of us -because of our every-daily sins: for we hold not our Covenants, nor -keep we our cleanness that our Lord setteth us in, but fall oftentimes -into so much wretchedness that shame it is to see it. And the beholding -of this maketh us so sorry and so heavy, that scarsely we can find any -comfort. - -And this dread we take sometime for a meekness, but it is a foul -blindness and a weakness.[6] And we cannot despise it as we do another -sin, that we know [as sin]: for it cometh [subtly] of Enmity, and it -is against truth. For it is God's will that of all the properties of -the blissful Trinity, we should have most sureness and comfort in Love: -for Love maketh Might and Wisdom full meek to us. For right as by the -courtesy of God He forgiveth our sin after the time that we repent us, -right so willeth He that _we_ forgive our sin, as anent our unskilful -heaviness and our doubtful dreads. - -[1] "for _unknowing_." - -[2] seen as Might, Wisdom, Love. - -[3] _i.e._ equal. - -[4] _i.e._ Julian (xiii., xxiv., xlvi.). - -[5] "astynten." - -[6] S. de Cressy: "a wickedness"; but the MS. word is "waykenes." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXIV - - "There is no dread that fully pleaseth God in us but reverent dread" - - -For I understand [that there be] four manner of dreads. One is the -dread of an affright that cometh to a man suddenly by frailty. This -dread doeth good, for it helpeth to purge man, as doeth bodily sickness -or such other pain as is not sin. For all such pains help man if -they be patiently taken. The second is dread of pain, whereby man is -stirred and wakened from sleep of sin. He is not able for the time to -perceive the soft comfort of the Holy Ghost, till he have understanding -of this dread of pain, of bodily death, of spiritual enemies; and -this dread stirreth us to seek comfort and mercy of God, and thus -this dread helpeth us,[1] and enableth us to have contrition by the -blissful touching of the Holy Ghost. The third is doubtful dread. -Doubtful dread in as much as it draweth to despair, God will have it -turned in us into love by the knowing of love: that is to say, that -the bitterness of doubt be turned into the sweetness of natural love -by grace. For it may never please our Lord that His servants doubt in -His Goodness. The fourth is reverent dread: for there is no dread that -fully pleaseth God in us but reverent dread. And that is full soft, for -the more it is had, the less it is felt for sweetness of love. - -Love and Dread are brethren, and they are rooted in us by the Goodness -of our Maker, and they shall never be taken from us without end. We -have of nature to love and we have of grace to love: and we have of -nature to dread and we have of grace to dread. It belongeth to the -Lordship and to the Fatherhood to be dreaded, as it belongeth to the -Goodness to be loved: and it belongeth to us that are His servants and -His children to dread Him for Lordship and Fatherhood, as it belongeth -to us to love Him for Goodness. - -And though this reverent-dread and love be not parted asunder, yet they -are not both one, but they are two in property and in working, and -neither of them may be had without other. Therefore I am sure, he that -loveth, he dreadeth, though that he feel it but a little. - -All dreads other than reverent dread that are proffered to us, though -they come under the colour of holiness yet are not so true, and hereby -may they be known asunder.--That dread that maketh us hastily to flee -from all that is not good and fall into our Lord's breast, as the Child -into the Mother's bosom,[2] with all our intent and with all our mind, -knowing our feebleness and our great need, knowing His everlasting -goodness and His blissful love, only seeking to Him for salvation, -cleaving to [Him] with sure trust: that dread that bringeth us into -this working, it is natural,[3] gracious, good and true. And all that -is contrary to this, either it is wrong, or it is mingled with wrong. -Then is this the remedy, to know them both and refuse the wrong. - -For the natural property of dread which we have in this life by the -gracious working of the Holy Ghost, the same shall be in heaven afore -God, gentle, courteous, and full delectable. And thus we shall in -love be homely and near to God, and we shall in dread be gentle and -courteous to God: and both alike equal. - -Desire we of our Lord God to dread Him reverently, to love Him meekly, -to trust in Him mightily; for when we dread Him reverently and love -Him meekly our trust is never in vain. For the more that we trust, and -the more mightily, the more we please and worship our Lord that we -trust in. And if we fail in this reverent dread and meek love (as God -forbid we should!), our trust shall soon be misruled for the time. And -therefore it needeth us much to pray our Lord of grace that we may have -this reverent dread and meek love, of His gift, in heart and in work. -For without this, no man may please God. - -[1] Here the transcriber of the B. Mus. MS. repeats (by mistake, no -doubt) "to seek," etc. S. de Cressy: "helpeth us as an entry." - -[2] S. de Cressy: "Mothers Arme," but MS. (B.M.) "Moder barme." - -[3] "kinde." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXV - - "We shall see verily the cause of all things that He hath done; and - evermore we shall see the cause of all things that He hath permitted" - - -I saw that God can do all that we need. And these three that I shall -speak of we need: love, longing, pity. Pity in love keepeth us in the -time of our need; and longing in the same love draweth us up into -Heaven. For the Thirst of God is to have the general Man unto Him: in -which thirst He hath drawn His Holy that be now in bliss; and getting -His lively members, ever He draweth and drinketh, and yet He thirsteth -and longeth. - -I saw three manners of longing in God, and all to one end; of which we -have the same in us, and by the same virtue and for the same end. - -The first is, that He longeth to teach us to know Him and love Him -evermore, as it is convenient and speedful to us. The second is, that -He longeth to have us up to His Bliss, as souls are when they are taken -out of pain into Heaven. The third is to fulfill us in bliss; and -that shall be on the Last Day, fulfilled ever to last. For I saw, as -it is known in our Faith, that the pain and the sorrow shall be ended -to all that shall be saved. And not only we shall receive the same -bliss that souls afore have had in heaven, but also we shall receive -a new [bliss], which plenteously shall be flowing out of God into us -and shall fulfill us; and these be the goods which He hath ordained -to give us from without beginning. These goods are treasured and hid -in Himself; for unto that time [no] Creature is mighty nor worthy to -receive them. - -In this [fulfilling] we shall see verily the cause of all things that -He hath done; and evermore we shall see the cause of all things that He -hath suffered.[1] And the bliss and the fulfilling shall be so deep and -so high that, for wonder and marvel, all creatures shall have to God so -great reverent dread, overpassing that which hath been seen and felt -before, that the pillars of heaven shall tremble and quake. But this -manner of trembling and dread shall have no pain; but it belongeth to -the worthy might of God thus to be beholden by His creatures, in great -dread trembling and quaking for meekness of joy, marvelling at the -greatness of God the Maker and at the littleness of all that is made. -For the beholding of this maketh the creature marvellously meek and -mild. - -Wherefore God willeth--and also it belongeth to us, both in nature -and grace--that we wit and know of this, desiring this sight and this -working; for it leadeth us in right way, and keepeth us in true life, -and oneth us to God. And as good as God is, so great He is; and as -much as it belongeth to His goodness to be loved, so much it belongeth -to His greatness to be dreaded. For this reverent dread is the fair -courtesy that is in Heaven afore God's face. And as much as He shall -then be known and loved overpassing that He is now, in so much He shall -be dreaded overpassing that He is now. Wherefore it behoveth needs to -be that all Heaven and earth shall tremble and quake when the pillars -shall tremble and quake. - -[1] _i.e._ permitted; "all that is good our Lord doeth, and that which -is evil our Lord suffereth," xxxv. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXVI - - "The soul that beholdeth the fair nature of our Lord Jesus, it hateth - no hell but sin" - - -I speak but little of reverent dread, for I hope it may be seen in this -matter aforesaid. But well I wot our Lord shewed me no souls but those -that dread Him. For well I wot the soul that truly taketh the teaching -of the Holy Ghost, it hateth more sin for vileness and horribleness -than it doth all the pain that is in hell. For the soul that beholdeth -the fair nature[1] of our Lord Jesus, it hateth no hell but sin, as to -my sight. And therefore it is God's will that we know sin, and pray -busily and travail earnestly and seek teaching meekly that we fall not -blindly therein; and if we fall, that we rise readily. For it is the -most pain that the soul may have, to turn from God any time by sin. - -The soul that willeth to be in rest when [an] other man's sin cometh -to mind, he shall flee it as the pain of hell, seeking unto God for -remedy, for help against it. For the beholding of other man's sins, -it maketh as it were a thick mist afore the eyes of the soul, and we -cannot, for the time, see the fairness of God, but if we may behold -them with contrition with him, with compassion on him, and with holy -desire to God for him. For without this it harmeth[2] and tempesteth -and hindereth the soul that beholdeth them. For this I understood in -the Shewing of Compassion. - -In this blissful Shewing of our Lord I have understanding of two -contrary things: the one is the most wisdom that any creature may -do in this life, the other is the most folly. The most wisdom is -for a creature to do after the will and counsel of his highest -sovereign Friend. This blessed Friend is Jesus, and it is His will -and His counsel that we hold us with Him, and fasten us to Him -homely--evermore, in what state soever that we be; for whether-so that -we be foul or clean, we are all one in His loving. For weal nor for woe -He willeth never we flee from Him. But because of the changeability -that we are in, in our self, we fall often into sin. Then we have this -[doubting dread] by the stirring of our enemy and by our own folly and -blindness: for they say thus: _Thou seest well thou art a wretched -creature, a sinner, and also unfaithful. For thou keepest not the -Command[3]; thou dost promise oftentimes our Lord that thou shalt do -better, and anon after, thou fallest again into the same, especially -into sloth and losing of time._ (For that is the beginning of sin, as -to my sight,--and especially to the creatures that have given them to -serve our Lord with inward beholding of His blessed Goodness.) And this -maketh us adread to appear afore our courteous Lord. Thus is it our -enemy that would put us aback[4] with his false dread, [by reason] of -our wretchedness, through pain that he threateth us with. For it is his -meaning to make us so heavy and so weary in this, that we should let -out of mind the fair, Blissful Beholding of our Everlasting Friend. - -[1] "kindness." - -[2] "noyith." - -[3] S. de Cressy--"thy Covenant." - -[4] "on bakke." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXVII - -"Accuse not thyself overmuch, deeming that thy tribulation and thy woe - is all thy fault." "All thy living is penance profitable." "In the - remedy He willeth that we rejoice" - - -Our good Lord shewed the enmity of the Fiend: in which Shewing I -understood that all that is contrary to love and peace is of the Fiend -and of his part. And we have, of our feebleness and our folly, to fall; -and we have, of mercy and grace of the Holy Ghost, to rise to more -joy. And if our enemy aught winneth of us by our falling, (for it is -his pleasure,[1]) he loseth manifold more in our rising by charity and -meekness. And this glorious rising, it is to him so great sorrow and -pain for the hate that he hath to our soul, that he burneth continually -in envy. And all this sorrow that he would make us to have, it shall -turn to himself. And for this it was that our Lord scorned him, and [it -was] this [that] made me mightily to laugh. - -Then is this the remedy, that we be aware of our wretchedness and flee -to our Lord: for ever the more needy that we be, the more speedful it -is to us to draw nigh to Him.[2] And let us say thus in our thinking: -_I know well I have a shrewd pain; but our Lord is All-Mighty and -may punish me mightily; and He is All-Wisdom and can punish me -discerningly; and He is All-Goodness and loveth me full tenderly_. And -in this beholding it is necessary for us to abide; for it is a lovely -meekness of a sinful soul, wrought by mercy and grace of the Holy -Ghost, when we willingly and gladly take the scourge and chastening of -our Lord that Himself will give us. And it shall be full tender and -full easy, if that we will only hold us satisfied with Him and with all -His works. - -For the penance that man taketh of himself was not shewed me: that is -to say, it was not shewed specified. But specially and highly and with -full lovely manner of look was it shewed that we shall meekly bear and -suffer the penance that God Himself giveth us, with mind in His blessed -Passion. (For when we have mind in His blessed Passion, with pity and -love, then we suffer with Him like as His friends did that saw it. And -this was shewed in the Thirteenth Shewing, near the beginning, where it -speaketh of Pity.) For He saith: _Accuse not [thy]self overdone much, -deeming that thy tribulation and thy woe is all for thy fault; for I -will not that thou be heavy or sorrowful indiscreetly. For I tell thee, -howsoever thou do, thou shalt have woe. And therefore I will that thou -wisely know thy penance; and [thou] shalt see in truth that all thy -living is penance profitable._ - -This place is prison and this life is penance, and in the remedy He -willeth that we rejoice. The remedy is that our Lord is with us, -keeping and leading into the fulness of joy. For this is an endless joy -to us in our Lord's signifying, that He that shall be our bliss when we -are there, He is our keeper while we are here. Our way and our heaven -is true love and sure trust; and of this He gave understanding in all -[the Shewings] and especially in the Shewing of the Passion where He -made me mightily to choose Him for my heaven.[3] - -Flee we to our Lord and we shall be comforted, touch we Him and we -shall be made clean, cleave we to Him and we shall be sure,[4] and safe -from all manner of peril. - -For our courteous Lord willeth that we should be as homely with Him as -heart may think or soul may desire. But [let us] beware that we take -not so recklessly this homeliness as to leave courtesy. For our Lord -Himself is sovereign homeliness, and as homely as He is, so courteous -He is: for He is very courteous. And the blessed creatures that shall -be in heaven with Him without end, He will have them like to Himself in -all things. And to be like our Lord perfectly, it is our very salvation -and our full bliss. - -And if we wot not how we shall do all this, desire we of our Lord and -He shall teach us: for it is His own good-pleasure and His worship; -blessed may He be! - -[1] S. de Cressy, "likeness"; Collins, "business." The word may be -"Lifenes" = lefness, pleasure; lif = lef = lief = (Morris' _Specimens -of Early English_) pleasing, dear. - -[2] "neyghen him." - -[3] ch. xix. - -[4] "sekir." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXVIII - - "Though we be highly lifted up into contemplation by the special gift -of our Lord, yet it is needful to us to have knowledge and sight of our - sin and our feebleness" - - -Our Lord of His mercy sheweth us our sin and our feebleness by the -sweet gracious light of Himself; for our sin is so vile and so horrible -that He of His courtesy will not shew it to us but by the light of -His grace and mercy. Of four things therefore it is His will that we -have knowing: the first is, that He is our Ground from whom we have -all our life and our being. The second is, that He keepeth us mightily -and mercifully in the time that we are in our sin and among all our -enemies, that are full fell upon us; and so much we are in the more -peril for [that] we give them occasion thereto, and know not our own -need.[1] The third is, how courteously He keepeth us, and _maketh us to -know_ that we go amiss. The fourth is, how steadfastly He abideth us -and changeth no regard:[2] for He willeth that we be turned [again], -and oned to Him in love as He is to us. - -And thus by this gracious knowing we may see our sin profitably without -despair. For truly we need to see it, and by the sight we shall be -made ashamed of our self and brought down as anent our pride and -presumption; for it behoveth us verily to see that of ourselves we are -right nought but sin and wretchedness. And thus by the sight of the -less that our Lord sheweth us, the more is reckoned[3] which we see -not. For He of His courtesy measureth the sight to us; for it is so -vile and so horrible that we should not endure to see it as it is. And -by this meek knowing after this manner, through contrition and grace -we shall be broken from all that is not our Lord. And then shall our -blessed Saviour perfectly heal us, and one us to Him. - -This breaking and this healing our Lord meaneth for the general Man. -For he that is highest and nearest with God, he may see himself -sinful--and needeth to--with me; and I that am the least and lowest -that shall be saved, I may be comforted with him that is highest: so -hath our Lord oned us in charity; [as] where He shewed me that I should -sin.[4] - -And for joy that I had in beholding of Him I attended not readily -to that Shewing, and our courteous Lord stopped there and would not -further teach me till that He gave me grace and will to attend. -And hereby was I learned that though we be highly lifted up into -contemplation by the special gift of our Lord, yet it is needful to us -therewith to have knowing and sight of our sin and our feebleness. For -without this knowing we may not have true meekness, and without this -[meekness] we may not be saved. - -And afterward, also, I saw that we may not have this knowing from our -self; nor from none of all our spiritual enemies: for they will us not -so great good. For if it were by their will, we should not see it until -our ending day. Then be we greatly beholden[5] to God for that He will -Himself, for love, shew it to us in time of mercy and grace. - -[1] See ch. xxxix. p. 81. - -[2] "chere" = manner of looking on us; mien. - -[3] S. de Cressy: "wasted," but the indistinct word of the Brit. Mus. -MS. is probably "_castid_," for "cast," or "_casten_" = conjectured. - -[4] ch. xxxvii. - -[5] _i.e._ in gratitude. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXIX - - "I was taught that I should see mine own sin, and not other men's sin -except it may be for comfort and help of my fellow-Christians" (lxxvi.) - - -Also I had of this [Revelation] more understanding. In that He shewed -me that I should sin, I took it nakedly to mine own singular person, -for I was none otherwise shewed at that time. But by the high, -gracious comfort of our Lord that followed after, I saw that His -meaning was for the general Man: that is to say, All-Man; which is -sinful and shall be unto the last day. Of which Man I am a member, as -I hope, by the mercy of God. For the blessed comfort that I saw, it is -large enough for us all. And here was I learned that I should see mine -own sin, and not other men's sins but if it may be for comfort and help -of mine even-Christians. - -And also in this same Shewing where I saw that I should sin, there was -I learned to be in dread for unsureness of myself. For I wot not how I -shall fall, nor I know not the measure nor the greatness of sin; for -that would I have wist, with dread, and thereto I had none answer. - -Also our courteous Lord in the same time He shewed full surely and -mightily the endlessness and the unchangeability of His love; and, -afterward, that by His great goodness and His grace inwardly keeping, -the love of Him and our soul shall never be disparted in two, without -end.[1] - -And thus in this dread I have matter of meekness that saveth me from -presumption, and in the blessed Shewing of Love I have matter of true -comfort and of joy that saveth me from despair. All this homely Shewing -of our courteous Lord, it is a lovely lesson and a sweet, gracious -teaching of Himself in comforting of our soul. For He willeth that -we [should] know by the sweetness and homely loving of Him, that all -that we see or feel, within or without, that is contrary to this is of -the enemy and not of God. And thus;--If we be stirred to be the more -reckless of our living or of the keeping of our hearts because that we -have knowing of this plenteous love, then need we greatly to beware. -For this stirring, if it come, is untrue; and greatly we ought to hate -it, for it all hath no likeness of God's will. And when that we be -fallen, by frailty or blindness, then our courteous Lord toucheth us -and stirreth us and calleth us; and then willeth He that we see our -wretchedness and meekly be aware of it.[2] But He willeth not that -we abide thus, nor He willeth not that we busy us greatly about our -accusing, nor He willeth not that we be wretched over our self;[3] but -He willeth that we hastily turn ourselves unto Him. For He standeth all -aloof and abideth us sorrowfully and mournfully till when we come, and -hath haste to have us to Him. For we are His joy and His delight, and -He is our salve and our life. - -When I say He standeth all alone, I leave the speaking of the blessed -Company of heaven, and speak of His office and His working here on -earth,--upon the condition of the Shewing. - -[1] See xxxvii., xl., xlviii., lxi., lxxxii. - -[2] "ben it aknowen." S. de Cressy, "be it a knowen." - -[3] MS. "wretchful of our selfe." S. de Cressy, "wretchful on our self." - - - - - CHAPTER LXXX - - "Himself is nearest and meekest, highest and lowest, and doeth all." - "Love suffereth never to be without Pity" - - -By three things man standeth in this life; by which three God is -worshipped, and we be speeded,[1] kept and saved. - -The first is, use of man's Reason natural; the second is, common -teaching of Holy Church; the third is, inward gracious working of the -Holy Ghost. And these three be all of one God: God is the ground of our -natural reason; and God, the teaching of Holy Church; and God is the -Holy Ghost. And all be sundry gifts to which He willeth that we have -great regard, and attend us thereto. For these work in us continually -all together; and these be great things. Of which great things He -willeth that we have knowing here as it were in an A.B.C., that is to -say, that we have a little knowing; whereof we shall have fulness in -Heaven. And that is for to speed us. - -We know in our Faith that God alone took our nature, and none but He; -and furthermore that Christ alone did all the works that belong to -our salvation, and none but He; and right so He alone doeth now the -last end: that is to say, He dwelleth here with us, and ruleth us -and governeth us in this living, and bringeth us to His bliss. And -this shall He do as long as any soul is in earth that shall come to -heaven,--and so far forth that if there were no such soul but one, -He should be withal alone till He had brought him up to His bliss. I -believe and understand the ministration of angels, as clerks tell us: -but it was not shewed me. For Himself is nearest and meekest, highest -and lowest, and doeth all. And not only all that we need, but also He -doeth all that is worshipful, to our joy in heaven. - -And where I say that He abideth sorrowfully and moaning, it meaneth -all the true feeling that _we_ have in our self, in contrition and -compassion, and all sorrowing and moaning that we are not oned with our -Lord. And all such that is speedful, it is Christ in us. And though -some of us feel it seldom, it passeth never from Christ till what time -He hath brought us out of all our woe. For love suffereth never to be -without pity. And what time that we fall into sin and leave the mind of -Him and the keeping of our own soul, then keepeth Christ alone all the -charge; and thus standeth He sorrowfully and moaning. - -Then belongeth it to us for reverence and kindness to turn us hastily -to our Lord and leave Him not alone. He is here alone with us all: that -is to say, only for us He is here. And what time I am strange to Him by -sin, despair or sloth, then I let my Lord stand alone, in as much as it -is in me. And thus it fareth with us all which be sinners. But though -it be so that we do thus oftentimes, His Goodness suffereth us never to -be alone, but lastingly He is with us, and tenderly He excuseth us, and -ever shieldeth us from blame in His sight. - -[1] _i.e._ helped onwards. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXI - -"God seeth all our living a penance: for nature-longing of our love is - to Him a lasting penance in us." "His love maketh Him to long" - - -Our Good Lord shewed Himself in diverse manners both in heaven and in -earth, but I saw Him take no place save in man's soul. - -He shewed Himself in earth in the sweet Incarnation and in His blessed -Passion. And in other manner He shewed Himself in earth [as in the -Revelation] where I say: _I saw God in a Point_.[1] And in another -manner He shewed Himself in earth thus as it were in pilgrimage: that -is to say, He is here with us, leading us, and shall be till when He -hath brought us all to His bliss in heaven. He shewed Himself diverse -times reigning, as it is aforesaid; but principally in man's soul. He -hath taken there His resting-place and His worshipful City: out of -which worshipful See He shall never rise nor remove without end. - -Marvellous and stately[2] is the place where the Lord dwelleth, -and therefore He willeth that we readily answer to[3] His gracious -touching, more rejoicing in His whole love than sorrowing in our often -fallings. For it is the most worship to Him of anything that we may -do, that we live gladly and merrily, for His love, in our penance. -For He beholdeth us so tenderly that He seeth all our living [here] a -penance: for nature's longing in us is to Him aye-lasting penance in -us[4]: which penance He worketh in us and mercifully He helpeth us to -bear it. For His love maketh _Him_ to long [for us]; His wisdom and His -truth with His rightfulness maketh _Him_ to suffer us [to be] here: and -in this same manner [of longing and abiding] He willeth to see it in -us. For this is our natural penance,--and the highest, as to my sight. -For this penance goeth[5] never from us till what time that we be -fulfilled, when we shall have Him to our meed. And therefore He willeth -that we set our hearts in the Overpassing[6]: that is to say, from the -pain that we feel into the bliss that we trust. - -[1] ch. xi. - -[2] "solemne." - -[3] "entenden to" = turn our attention, respond to. - -[4] or, at in S. de Cressy, "For kind longing in us to him is a lasting -penance in us." - -[5] "cometh." - -[6] The exceeding Bliss. "Our light affliction, which is but for a -moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of -glory."--2 Cor. iv. 17. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXII - - "In falling and in rising we are ever preciously kept in one Love" - - -But here shewed our courteous Lord the moaning and the mourning of -the soul, signifying thus: _I know well thou wilt live for my love, -joyously and gladly suffering all the penance that may come to thee; -but in as much as thou livest not without sin thou wouldest suffer, for -my love, all the woe, all the tribulation and distress that might come -to thee. And it is sooth.[1] But be not greatly aggrieved with sin that -falleth to thee against thy will._ - -And here I understood that [which was shewed] that the Lord beholdeth -the servant with pity and not with blame.[2] For this passing life -asketh[3] not to live all without blame and sin. He loveth us -endlessly, and we sin customably, and He sheweth us full mildly, and -then we sorrow and mourn discreetly, turning us unto the beholding -of His mercy, cleaving to His love and goodness, seeing that He is -our medicine, perceiving that we do nought but sin. And thus by the -meekness we get by the sight of our sin, faithfully knowing His -everlasting love, Him thanking and praising, we please Him:--_I love -thee, and thou lovest me, and our love shall not be disparted in two: -for thy profit I suffer [these things to come]._ And all this was -shewed in spiritual understanding, saying these blessed words: _I keep -thee full surely_. - -And by the great desire that I saw in our blessed Lord that we shall -live in this manner,--that is to say, in longing and enjoying, as all -this lesson of love sheweth,--thereby I understood that that which is -contrarious to us is not of Him but of enmity; and He willeth that we -know it by the sweet gracious light of His kind love. If any such lover -be in earth which is continually kept from falling, I know it not: -for it was not shewed me. But this was shewed: that in falling and in -rising we are ever preciously kept in one Love. For in the Beholding of -God we fall not, and in the beholding of self we stand not; and both -these [manners of beholding] be sooth as to my sight. But the Beholding -of our Lord God is the highest soothness.[4] Then are we greatly bound -to God[5] [for] that He willeth in this living to shew us this high -soothness. And I understood that while we be in this life it is full -speedful to us that we see both these at once. For the higher Beholding -keepeth us in spiritual solace and true enjoying in God; [and] that -other that is the lower Beholding keepeth us in dread and maketh us -ashamed of ourself. But our good Lord willeth ever that we hold us much -more in the Beholding of the higher, and [yet] leave not the knowing of -the lower, unto the time that we be brought up above, where we shall -have our Lord Jesus unto our meed and be fulfilled of joy and bliss -without end. - -[1] _i.e._ truth. See xxvii., "It is sooth that sin it cause of all -this pain." - -[2] ch. li. - -[3] _i.e._ "demandeth not that we live." - -[4] sooth, soothness: _i.e._ truth, trueness. "Both these ben soth, as -to my syte. But the beholdyng of our Lord God is the heyest sothnes." -See chaps. xlv., liii., etc., the two "Deemings": the Beholding by God -of the higher Self and the Beholding by man of the lower self. - -[5] in gratitude, obligation. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXIII - - "Life, Love, and Light" - - -I had, in part, touching, sight, and feeling in three properties of -God, in which the strength and effect of all the Revelation standeth: -and they were seen in every Shewing, and most properly in the Twelfth, -where it saith oftentimes: [_It is I._] The properties are these: Life, -Love, and Light.[1] In life is marvellous homeliness, and in love is -gentle courtesy, and in light is endless Nature-hood. These properties -were in one Goodness: unto which Goodness my Reason would be oned, and -cleave to it with all its might. - -I beheld with reverent dread, and highly marvelling in the sight -and in the feeling of the sweet accord, that our Reason is in God; -understanding that it is the highest gift that we have received; and it -is grounded in nature. - -Our faith is a light by nature coming of our endless Day, that is our -Father, God. In which light our Mother, Christ, and our good Lord, the -Holy Ghost, leadeth us in this passing life. This light is measured -discreetly, needfully standing to us in the night. The light is cause -of our life; the night is cause of our pain and of all our woe: in -which we earn meed and thanks of God. For we, with mercy and grace, -steadfastly know and believe our light, going therein wisely and -mightily. - -And at the end of woe, suddenly our eyes shall be opened, and in -clearness of light our sight shall be full: which light is God, our -Maker and Holy Ghost, in Christ Jesus our Saviour. - -Thus I saw and understood that our faith is our light in our night: -which light is God, our endless Day. - -[1] _Cf._ chs. lxxxv. and lxxxvi. These words might be (as Life, -Light, and Love) for the Trinity of _Might_ ("the Father willeth"), -_Wisdom_ ("the Son worketh"), _Love_ ("the Holy Ghost confirmeth"): -_one Goodness_: or as it is sometimes denoted, the Trinity of -_Might, Wisdom, Goodness: one Love_. But here the thought seems to -be centred in _Light_ as the manifestation of Being (of _Kyndhede_ = -relationships, correspondences of nature): of the Triune Divine Light -which in Man is corresponding Reason, Faith, Charity: Charity keeping -man, while here, in Faith and Hope; Charity leading him from and -through and into the Eternal Divine Love. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXIV - - "Charity" - - -The light is Charity, and the measuring of this light is done to us -profitably by the wisdom of God. For neither is the light so large that -we may see our blissful Day, nor is it shut from us; but it is such a -light in which we may live meedfully, with travail deserving[1] the -endless worship of God. And this was seen in the Sixth Shewing where He -said: _I thank thee of thy service and of thy travail_. Thus Charity -keepeth us in Faith and Hope, and Hope leadeth us in Charity. And in -the end all shall be Charity. - -I had three manners of understanding of this light, Charity. The first -is Charity unmade; the second is Charity made; the third is Charity -given. Charity unmade is God; Charity made is our soul in God; Charity -given is virtue. And that is a precious gift of working in which we -love God, for Himself; and ourselves, in God; and that which God -loveth, for God. - -[1] _i.e._ earning the endless praise. - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXV - - "Lord, blessed mayest Thou be, for it is thus: it is well" - - -And in this sight I marvelled highly. For notwithstanding our simple -living and our blindness here, yet endlessly our courteous Lord -beholdeth us in this working, rejoicing; and of all things, we may -please Him best wisely and truly to believe, and to enjoy with Him and -in Him. For as verily as we shall be in the bliss of God without end, -Him praising and thanking, so verily we have been in the foresight of -God, loved and known in His endless purpose from without beginning. In -which unbegun love He made us; and in the same love He keepeth us and -never suffereth us to be hurt [in manner] by which our bliss might be -lost. And therefore when the Doom is given and we be all brought up -above, then shall we clearly see in God the secret things which be now -hid to us. Then shall none of us be stirred to say in any wise: _Lord, -if it had been thus, then it had been full well_; but we shall say -all with one voice: _Lord, blessed mayst thou be, for it is thus: it -is well; and now see we verily that all-thing is done as it was then -ordained before that anything was made._ - - - - - CHAPTER LXXXVI - - "Love was our Lord's Meaning" - - -This book is begun by God's gift and His grace, but it is not yet -performed, as to my sight. - -For Charity pray we all; [together] with _God's_ working, thanking, -trusting, enjoying. For thus will our good Lord be prayed to, as by the -understanding that I took of all His own meaning and of the sweet words -where He saith full merrily: _I am the Ground of thy beseeching_. For -truly I saw and understood in our Lord's meaning that He shewed it for -that He willeth to have it known more than it is: in which knowing He -will give us grace to love to Him and cleave to Him. For He beholdeth -His heavenly treasure with so great love on earth that He willeth to -give us more light and solace in heavenly joy, in drawing to Him of our -hearts, for sorrow and darkness[1] which we are in. - -And from that time that it was shewed I desired oftentimes to learn[2] -what was our Lord's meaning. And fifteen years after, and more, I was -answered in ghostly understanding, saying thus: _Wouldst thou learn[3] -thy Lord's meaning in this thing? Learn it well: Love was His meaning. -Who shewed it thee? Love. What shewed He thee? Love. Wherefore shewed -it He? For Love. Hold thee therein and thou shalt learn and know more -in the same. But thou shalt never know nor learn therein other thing -without end._ Thus was I learned[4] that Love was our Lord's meaning. - -And I saw full surely that ere God made us He loved us; which love was -never slacked, nor ever shall be. And in this love He hath done all His -works; and in this love He hath made all things profitable to us; and -in this love our life is everlasting. In our making we had beginning; -but the love wherein He made us was in Him from without beginning: in -which love we have our beginning. And all this shall we see in God, -without end. - -[1] "merkness" = dimness. - -[2] "witten" = to see clearly. - -[3] "witten" = to see clearly. - -[4] "lerid." - - - - - POSTSCRIPT BY A SCRIBE - -[The Sloane MS. is entitled "Revelations to one who could not read a -Letter, Anno Dom. 1373," and each chapter is headed by a few lines -denoting its contents. These titles are in language similar to that of -the text, and are probably the work of an early scribe. No doubt it -is the same scribe who after the last sentence of the book adds the -aspiration:] _Which Jesus mot grant us_ - - _Amen._ - - [And to him also may be assigned this conclusion:--] - -Thus endeth the Revelation of Love of the blissid Trinite shewid by -our Savior Christ Jesu for our endles comfort and solace and also to -enjoyen in him in this passand journey of this life. - - _Amen Jesu Amen_ - -I pray Almyty God that this booke com not but to the hands of them -that will be his faithfull lovers, and to those that will submitt -them to the faith of holy Church, and obey the holesom understondying -and teching of the men that be of vertuous life, sadde Age and sound -lering: ffor this Revelation is hey Divinitye and hey wisdom, wherfore -it may not dwelle with him that is thrall to synne and to the Devill. - -And beware thou take not on thing after thy affection and liking, and -leve another: for that is the condition of an heretique. But take every -thing with other. And, trewly understonden, All is according to holy -Scripture and groundid in the same. And _that_ Jesus, our very love, -light and truth, shall shew to all clen soulis that with mekeness aske -profe reverently this wisdom of hym. - -And thou to whom this boke shall come, thank heyley and hertily our -Saviour Christ Jesu that he made these shewings and revelations, for -the, and to the, of his endles love, mercy and goodnes for thine and -our save guide, to conduct to everlastying bliss: _the which Jesus mot -grant us._ AMEN. - - - - - GLOSSARY - - - _Adight_ = prepared, ordained. - - _Adventure_ = chance, hazard. - - _After_ = according to. - - _All thing_ = with the verb singular--kept here chiefly to express - _all_, the _whole_ of things related to each other, though often, as in - the original, meaning simply _every, each_. In Early and Middle English - _thing_ had no _s_ in the plural. - - _And_ had sometimes the force of _but_, and once or twice in the MS. it - is used in its sense of _if_, or of _and though_, or _and when_. - - _Asseth, asyeth, asyeth-making_ = satisfaction; fulfilment - (theologically used). - - _Asketh_ = requireth, demandeth. - - _Avisement_ = consideration; observation with self-consulting. - - _Beclosed_ = enclosed. - - _Behest_ = promise: a thing proclaimed; afterwards, command. - - _Behold in_ = behold. _Beholding_ = manner of regarding things. - - _Belongeth to, behoveth_ = is incumbent, befitteth. - - _Blissful_ = used sometimes as _blessed_. - - _Bodily_ = perceived by any of the bodily senses, effected by material - agency. - - _Braste_ = burst. - - _Busyness_ = the state of being busy; _great busyness_ = much ado. - - _But if_ = unless, save. - - _Cause_ = reason, end, object. - - _Cheer_ = expression of countenance shewing sorrow or gladness; mien. - - _Close_ = shut away; hid, or partially hid. - - _Come from_ = go from. - - _Common: the Blessed Common_ = the Christian Community. - - _Contrarious_ = perverse. Various other forms are used from to - _contrary_, to oppose. - - _Could_ and _can_ refer to knowledge and practical skill, ability. - - _Courteous_ = gently considerate and fair; reverentially ceremonious; - Gracious. - - _Deadly_ = mortal. - - _Dearworthy_ = precious; beloved and honoured. - - _Depart_ = dispart, part. - - _Deserve_ = earn. - - _Disease_ = distress, trouble, want of case. - - _Doom, deeming_ = judgment. _Doomsman_ = priestly confessor. - - _Enjoy in_ = enjoy; rejoice in. - - _Entend_ = attend. - - _Enter_ = to lead in. - - _Even_ = equal; _even-like; even-right_ = straight, straight-facing. - - _Even-Christian_ (_even-cristen_, sing. or pl.) = fellow-Christian. - _Hamlet_ V. i., "And the more the pity that great folk have countenance - in this world to drown or hang themselves more than their even - Christian." - - _Faithfully_ = trustfully. - - _For that_ = because. - - _Fulfilled of_ = filled full with. _Fulfilling_ = fulfilment, Perfect - Bliss. - - _Garland_ = crown. - - _Generally_ = relating to things or people in general, not "in special." - - _Grante mercy_ = ("grand merci") great thanks. - - _Have to_ = betake one's self to. - - _Hastily_ = quickly, soon. - - _Homely_ = intimate, simple, as of one at home. - - _Honest_ = fair, seemly. - - _If_ = that (chap. xxxii., "Thou shalt see--if all--shall be well" Acts - xxvi. 8). - - _Impropriated (impropried) to_ = appropriated to. - - _Indifferent_ (to thy sight, chap. li.) = indistinct. - - _Intellect_ = understanding, that which is to be understood, inference. - xiii. - - _Intent_ = attention. - - _Kind_ = nature, race, birth, species; natural, etc.; _kindly_ = as by - birth and kinship, natural, filial, gentle, genial, human and humane. - - _Known_ = made known. - - _Languor_ = to languish. - - _Learn_ = teach. - - _Let_, "_letten_" = hinder (letted). - - _Like (it liketh him, meliketh)_ = to suit, be similar to the desire, - to be pleasing (Amos iv. 5). _Liking_ = pleasure, pleasance. - - _Likeness_ ("without any likeness") = comparison. - - _May, might,_ often for _can_ and _could_ of modern usage. - - _Mean_ = to think, say, signify, intend; to have in one's mind. - - _Mean, means_ = medium, intermediary thing, or person, or communication. - - _Mind_ = feeling, memory, sympathetic perception or realisation. - - _Mischief_ = hurt, injury, harm. - - _Mights_ = powers, faculties. - - _Morrow_ = morning. - - _Moaning_ = sorrowing. - - _Naked_ = simple, single, plain, by itself. - - _Needs_ = of need; it _behoveth needs_ = is incumbent through necessity. - - _Oweth_ = ought, is bound by duty or debt. - - _One_ (oned, oneing) = to make one, unite. - - _Over_ = upper. - - _Overpassing_ = exceeding; the _overpassing_ = the Restoration, - the heavenly Fulfilment of the Company of souls made _more_ than - conquerors; the Supernal Blessedness. - - _Pass_ = to die. - - _Passing_ = surpassingly. - - _Regard, in regard of_ = in respect of, comparison with. _Regard_ = - look, sight. - - _Ready_ = prepared; _readily_ = quickly. - - _Sad_ = Sober ("sad votaress," Milton, _Comus_), originally "firm" - ("rype and sad corage," Chaucer: _The Clerkes Tale_, 164). - - _Say_ = tell. - - _Skilfully_ = discerningly, with practical knowledge and ability. - - _Slade_ = a steep, hollow place; a ravine. - - _So far forth_ = to such a measure. - - _Solemn_ = festal, as of a yearly feast, stately, ceremonial. - - _Sooth_ = very reality, that which _is; soothly, soothfastly_. - - _Speed_ = prospering, furtherance, profit. - - _Stint_ ("stinten") = to cease. - - _Stirring_ ("stering") = moving, prompting, motion. - - _Substantial_ and _sensual_, relating respectively (in the writer's - psychology) to the _Substance_ or higher self, and the soul inhabiting - the body on earth, called by her the _Sensualite_, and in chap. lvii. - _the sensual soul; cf._ Genesis i. 27, with ii. 7. - - _Tarry_ = to vex, delay. - - _Touch_ (a) = an instant. _Touching_ = influence. - - _Trow_ = believe. - - _Unknowing_ = ignorance; _unmade_ = not made. - - _Ween_ = suppose, expect, think. - - _Will; He will_ = He willeth that. _Wilfully_ = with firm will, - resolutely. - - _Wit_ to know by perception, to experience, find, learn. Knowledge - knows: _Wisdom wits_. - - _Worship_ = honour, praise, glory. - - _Wretch_ = a poor, a mean creature of no account. - - -[THE END.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Revelations of Divine Love Recorded by -Julian, Anchoress at Norwich, by Julian - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK REVELATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE *** - -***** This file should be named 52958-8.txt or 52958-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/9/5/52958/ - -Produced by Clare Graham & Marc D'Hooghe at Free Literature -(online soon in an extended version, alo linking to free -sources for education worldwide ... MOOC's, educational -materials,...) 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