Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich

| of Rome, which he protraid with his own blessed face, when he was in his hard passion, wilfully going to his death, and often changing of colour, | of the brown-head, and the black-head, rewlyhead and lean-head.

Of this image many marvelled how that might be standing, that he protraid it with his blessed face, which is the fairest of heaven, flower of earth, i and the fruit of the Maidens womb. Then how : might this image be so discoloured and so far from i: fair-head, I desire to see as I have understood by i the grace of God.

We know in our faith and in our belief, by the teaching and preaching of Holy Church, that the blessedfull Trinity made mankind to his image and 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 over-passing. And right as we were made like to the Trinity in our first making, our Maker would that we should

THE SECOND REVELATION.

be like to Jesu Christ our Saviour in heaven without end by the vertue of our one-making [atonement]. Then between these two he would for love, and for worship of man, make himself as hke to man in this deadly life, in our foul-head and in our wretchedness, as man might be without guilt: whereof it meaneth as is before said, it was the image and the likeness of our foul black deeds, wherein our fair bright blessed Lord hid his Godhead. But verily I dare say, and we ought to believe, that so fair a man was never none but he, till what time that his fair colour was changed with travaile and sorrow, passion and dying, Of this it speaketh in the Second Revelation, and in the xviii? chapter, where it speaketh more of the same likeness. And there it saith of the Vernacle of Rome, it meaneth by diverse changing of colour, and either sometime. more comfortable and lively, and sometime more ruful and deadly, as it may be seen hereafter. And this vision was a learning to my understanding that the continually seeking of the soul pleaseth God much; for it may do no more than seek, suffer, and trust. And this is wrought in every soul that'hath it by the Holy Ghost.

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And the clearness of finding it, is of the special | grace, when it is his will; the seeking with faith, hope, and charity, pleaseth our Lord ; and the find- : ing, pleaseth the soul, and fulfilleth it with joy. | And thus was I learned to my understanding, ' that seeking is as good as beholding, for the time that he will suffer the soul to be in travaile. It lis Gods will that we seek into the beholding of à him; for by that shall he shew us himself of his special grace, when he will. | And how a soul shall have her in his beholding, : he shall teach himself; and that is most worship to him, and most profit to the soul, and most | received of meekness and vertues, with the grace i and leading of the Holy Ghost; for a soul that only resigneth him to God with very trust, either in seeking or in beholding, it is the most worship that he may do, as to my sight. | These be two workings that may be seen in this | vision: that one is secking, the other is beholding. | The seeking is common, that each soul may have, : with his grace, and ought to have discretion and | teaching of Holy Church. (See Note, p. 32.) | It is God's will that we have three things in jour seeking of his gift. The frst is, that we j seek wilfully and busily without sloath, as it may | bc with his grace, gladly and merrily, without nl

THE SECOND REVELATION,