Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich

highest joy that the soul understood, that God himself shall do it. And I shall do right nought but sin, and my sin shall not let his goodness working. And I saw that the beholding of this is a heavenly joy in a dreadful soul, which evermore kindly by grace desireth Gods will. This deed shall be begun here, and it shall be worshipful to God, and plentuously profitable to all 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 to the last day; and the worship and the bliss of that shall last in heaven before God, and all his holy saints without end. Thus was this deed seen and understand in our Lords meaning; and the cause why he shewed it, is to make us to enjoy in him and in all his works. i When I saw the shewing continued, I understood it was shewed for a great thing that was then for to come: which thing God shewed that himself should do it. Which deed hath the properties before said. And this shewed he full blessedfully, meaning that I should take it wistly [? wisely], faithfully, and trustfully ; but what the deed should be it was kept privy to me. And in this I saw, he will not we dread to know the things that he sheweth; he sheweth them, for he will we know them. By which knowing, he will we love him, and like in him, and sh j

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THE THIRTY-SIXTH CHAPTER

endlesly enjoy in him. And for the great love that he hath to us, he sheweth us all that is worshipful and profitable for the time ; and those things that he will now have privy; yet of his great goodness he shewed them close. In which shewing he will we believe, and understand, that we should see it verily in his endless bliss. Then ought we to enjoy in him for all that he sheweth, and all that he hideth. And if we wilfully and meekly do this, we shall find therein great ease, and endless thanking we shall have of him therefore. And this is the understanding of this word, * That it shall be done by me,’ (that is to say, [as to] the general man; that is to say, all that shall be safe) ; it shall be worshipful, marvellous, and plentuous, and ‘ By me it shall be done, and God himself shall doit. And this shall be highest joy that may be beholden of the deed that God himself shall do it, and man shall do right nought but sin. Then meaneth our Lord God thus, as if he said, * Behold and see, here hast thou matter of meckness; here hast thou matter of love; here hast thou matter of knoning thy self; here hast thou matter of enjoying in me; and for my love enjoy in me, for, of all thing, therewith might thou most please mee. And as long as we be in this life, what time that we by our folly turn us to the beholding of the reproved, tend. rl our Lord toucheth us, and blissedfully M

THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION.

calleth us, saying in our soul, * Let me alone my dear worthy child ; intend to me, I am enough to thee, and enjoy in thy Saviour and in thy salvation. And that this is our Lords working in us, I am sure the soul that is pearced therewith by grace, shall see it and feel it ; and though it be so that this deed be truly take for the general man, vet 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, it is not both one, but two sundry ; but this deed shall be known sooner, and that shall be as we come to heaven. And to whom our Lord giveth it, it may be known here in party. But the great deed aforesaid shall neither be known in heaven nor in earth till that it be done. And furthermore, he gave special understanding and teaching of working, and shewing of miracles as this; ‘ Ji zs known that I have done miracles here before many, and full high and marvellous, worshipful and great ; and so as I have done, I do nom continually, and shall in coming of time. It is known that before miracles, come sorrows, and anguish, and trouble.’ And that is, that we should know our own feebleness and mischief that we be fallen in by sin, to meek us, and make us to cry to God for help and grace; and great miracles come after, and that, of the high might and wisdom, and goodness of God, shewing 85 ots SEIN SELENE

Mesi

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THE THIRTY-SEVENTH CHAPTER,