Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich

And I said, Benedicite dominus. This I said for reverence in my meaning with a mightie voice, and full greatelie was I astonished for wonder and marveile that I had, that he that is so reverent and so dreadful will be so homelie with a sinfull creature living in this wretched flesh. Thus I tooke it for that time that our Lord Jesu of his courteous love would shew me comfort before the time of my temptation: for me thought it might well be, that I should by the sufferance of God, and with his keeping, be tempted of fiends before I should die. With this sight of his blessed passion, with the Godhead that I sawe in my understanding, I knew well that it was strength enough to me, yea and to all creatures living, that should be saved against all the fiendes of hell, and against all ghostlie enemies. In this he brought our Lady Saint Mary to my understanding; I sawe her ghostelie in bodilie likenes, a simple maiden and a meeke, young of age, a litle waxen above a child, in the stature as she was when she conceived. Also God shewed me in part the wisdome and the truth of her soule; wherein I understood the reverence beholding that she beheld her God that is her Maker, marvailing with great reverence 11

THE FIRST REVELATION.

that he would be born of her that was a simple creature of his making. For this was her marvailing, that he that was her Maker would be born of her that was made. And this wisdome and truth knowing the greatnes of her Maker, and the litlehead of her selfe that is made, made her to saie full meekelie to Gabriel, * Lo me here Gods hand-maiden.’ In this sight I did understand verihe that she is more than all that God made beneath her in worthines and fullhead, for above her is nothing that is made but the blessed manhood of Christ, as to my sight.

The Fifth Chapter

Ix this same time that I sawe this sight of the head bleeding, our good Lord shewed a ghostlie sight of his homelie loving: I saw that he is to us all thing that is good and comfortable to our help. He is our clothing, that for love wrappeth us, and windeth us, halseth us, and all becloseth us, hangeth about us for tender love, that he maie neverleave us. And so in this sight I saw that he is all thing that is good, as to my understanding. And in this he shewed a litle thing, the quantitie 12

THE FIFTH CHAPTER,

of a hasel-nutt, lying in the palme of my hand, as me seemed; and it was as round as a ball. I looked theron with the eie of my understanding, and thought, “What may this be?" and it was answered generallie thus : ‘It is all that is made.” I marvelled how it might last: for me thought it might sodenlie have fallen to naught for litlenes. And I was answered in my understanding, ‘ʻi lasteth, and ever shall: for God loveth it. And so hath all thing being by the love of God. In this litle thing I sawe three propeties. The frst is, that God made it. The second is, that God loveth it. The third is, that God keepeth it. But, what beheld I therein? verilie the Maker, the Keeper, the Lover. For till I am substanciallie united to him, I maie never have full rest, ne verie blisse; that is to saie, that I be so fastned to him, that there be right nought that is made betweene my God and mee. This litle thing that is made, me thought it might have fallen to nought for litlenes. Of this needeth us to bave knowledge, that us liketh naught all thing that is made, for to love God, and have God that is unmade. For this is the cause which we he not allin ease 13

THE FIRST REVELATION.

of heart and soule: for we seeke here rest in this thing that is so litle, where no rest is in: and we know not our God that is all mightie, all wise, and all good, for he is verie rest. God will be known, and him liketh that we rest us in him. For all that is beneath him, sufficeth not us. And this is the cause why that no soule is in rest till it is naughted of all things that are made: when she is wilfullie naughted for love to have him that is all, then is she able to receave ghostlie rest. And also our good Lord shewed, that it is full great pleasure to him that a seelie soule come to him naked, plainlie, and homelie. For this is the kind dwelling of the soule by the touching of the Holie Ghost, as by the understanding that I have in this shewing. ‘God of thy goodnes give me thy self, for thou art enough to me; and [ may aske nothing that is lesse, that may be fullie worship to thee; and if I aske any thing that is lesse, ever me wanteth. But onlie in thee I have all.’ And these wordes of the goodnes of God be full lovesome to the soule, and full nere touching the will of our Lord ; for his goodnes fulfilleth all his creatures, and all his blessed works without end. 14

THE SIXTH CHAPTER

For he is the endlesse head, and he made us onlie to himselfe; and restored us by his precious passion, and ever keepeth us in his blessed love; and all this is of his goodnes.

The Siath Chapter