Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich

filleth him, though there were no more; for methought all the pain and travel that might be suffered of all living men, might not have deserved the worshipful thank that one man shall have that wilfully hath served God. For the second, that all the blessed creatures that be in heaven, shall see the worshipful thanking: and he maketh his service known to all that be in heaven. And in this time this example was shewed: A king, if he thank his subjects, it is a great worship to them, and if he make it known to all the realm, then their worship is much encreased. And for the third, that as new, and as liking as it is undertaken that time, right so shall it last without end. And I saw that homely and sweetly was this shewed, that the age of every man shall be known in heaven, and be rewarded for his wilful service, and for his time; and namely the age of them that wilfully and freely offer their youth to God, passingly is rewarded, and wonderfully thanked ; for I saw that when or what time that a man or woman be truly turned to God, for one dayes service, and for his endless will, he shall have all these three degrees of bliss. And the more that the loving soul seeth this courtesie of God, the levir she is to serve him all her life.

p. 42

RANT aie

The Sebenth Bebelation

The Fifteenth Chapter

ND after this, he shewed a sovereign ghostly liking in my soul: in this likeing, I was fulfilled of everlasting sureness, mightily fastned without any painful dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly, that I was all in peace, in ease 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 irkeness of my self, that unneth I could have patience to live: there was no comfort, ne none to ease my feeling, but faith, hope, and charity: and these I had in truth, but full litle in feeling. And none [anon] after this our blessed Lord gave me again of the comfort and the rest in soul, likeing and sureness, so blessedfuly and so mightifully, that no dread, ne sorrow, ne no pain bodily ne ghostly, that might be suffered should have diseased me, And then the pain sheweth again to my 43

EE eS APERIRE

THE SEVENTH REVELATION.

feeling, and then the joy and the liking: 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 depart me fro the chanty of Christ.’ And in the pain I might have said with Saint Peter, * Lord save me, I pensh.' This vision was shewed to learn me, at [to] my understanding, 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 themself, God will that we know that he keepeth us ever in like [alike] sure, in woe, and in weale. And for profit of mans soul, a man is sometimes left to himself, although his sin is not ever 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 had this blessedful feeling, but freely our Lord giveth it when he will; and suffereth us in woe sometime; and both is one love. For it is Gods 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 naught to them that shall be saved. ‘Therefore it is not God's will, that we follow the feeling of pains, in sorrow and mourning for them, but suddenly pass over, and hold us in the endless liking that is God. 14

The Eighth Revelation

The Sixteenth Chapter