Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich

And in all the time that he shewed this that | I have now said, in ghostly sight, I saw the bodily sight lasting of the plentuous bleeding of the head; the great drops of blood fell down "į 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 la

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THET DEAS OSILVLIOA.

bright red; and when it came at the brows, there they vanished. And notwithstanding, the bleeding continued till many things were seen and understanded ; nevertheless, the fair-head, and the lively-head continued in the same beauty and liveliness. The plentuous-head is like to the drops of water that fall off the evesing of an house after a great shower of rain, that fall so thick, that no man may number them with any bodily wit. And for the roundness, they were like to the seal [scale] of herring in the spreading of the forehead. These three things came to my mind in the time; pellets, for the roundhead in the comming out of the blood; the scale of herring, for the round-head in the spreading; the dropps of the evesing of an house, for the plentuous-head unnumerable. This shewing was quick and lively, and hideous, and dreadful, and sweet, and lovely. And of all the sight that I saw, this was most comfort to me, that our good Lord that is so reverent and dreadful, is so homely and so courteous: and this most fulfilled me with liking and sickerness of soul. And to the understanding of this, he shewed this open example. ‘Jt is (he most worship that a en

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THE SEVENTH CHAPTER, solemn King or a great Lord may do to a poor servant, if he will be homely with him ; and namely, tf he shem it himself of a full true meaning, and with a glad chere both in private and openly.” Then thinketh this poor creature thus: ‘Lo, what might this noble Lord do more worship and joy to me, than to show to me that am so little this marvelous homeliness; verily it is more joy and liking to me, than if he gave me great gifts, and were himself strange in manner.’ This bodily example was shewed so high, that this mans heart might be ravished, and almost forget himself for joy of this great homeliness. Thus it faireth by our Lord Jesu, and by us, for verily. it is the most joy that may be as to my sight, that he that is highest and mightest, nobliest and worthiest, is lowest and meekest, homliest and courtesiest. And truly and verily, this marvellous joy shall he shew us all when we shall see him. And this will our good Lord, that we believe, and trust, joy, and like [also] comfort us, and make solace, as we may with his grace and with his help, into the time that we see it verily ; for the most fulhed of joy that we shall have as to my sight, is this marvellous courtesie and homeliness of our Father that is our Maker in our Lord Jesu Christ, that is our Brother and our Saviour. 21

THE FIRST REVELATION.

But this marvelous homliness may no man know in this life, but if [unless] he have it by special shewing of our Lord, or of great plenty of grace inwardly given of the Holy Ghost; but faith and belief with charity deserve the meed, and so it is had by grace. For in faith, with hope and charity, our life is grounded; the shewing is made to whom that God wil plainly teach the same, opened and declared with many privy points belonging to our faith and belief, which be worshipful to be known. And when the shewing which is given for a time is passed and hid, then faith keepeth it by grace of the Holy Ghost unto our lives end. And thus by the shewing, it is none other than faith, no less, no more, as it may be seen by our Lords meaning iu the same matter, by that it come to the last end.

The Eighth Chapter

Anp as long as I saw this sight of the plentuousness of bleeding of the head, I might never stint of these words, Benedicite Dominus. In which shewing, I understood six things. The first is, the tokens of the blessedful passion, and the plentuous shedding of his precious blood.

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