Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich
not have thy seeking?’ And thus in the first reason, | with the three that follow, our good Lord sheweth | l a mighty comfort, as it may be seen in the same | words. And in the first reason, there he saith; ‘And thou b5osoeh Pi! there he sheweth full pore
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pleasance and endless meed, that he will give us for our beseeking. And in the sixth reason, there he saith, “How should it then be?’ this was said for an unpossible thing ; for it is the most unpossible that may, that we should seek: mercy and grace, and not have it. For of all thing that our good Lord maketh us to beseek himself, he hath ordained it to us from without beginning. Here may we then see, that our beseeking is not the cause of the goodness and grace that he doth to us, but his proper goodness. And that shewed he verily in all these sweet words, there he saith, *7 am ground. And our good Lord will that this be known of his lovers in earth; and the more that we know, the more shall we beseech, if it be wisely take; and so is our Lords meaning. Beseeching is a true and gracious lasting will of the soul, owned and fastened into the will of our Lord, by the sweet privy working of the Holy Ghost. Our Lord himself he is the first receiver of our prayer, as to my sight, and he taketh it full thankfully ; and highly enjoying, he sendeth it up above, and setteth it in treasure, where it shall never perish: it is there before God, with all his holy saints continually received, ever speeding our needs. And when we shall undertake [veceive] our bliss, it shall be given us for a degree of joy, with endless worshipfal thanking of him; full glad and merry is our Lord of our f
PHO LOURTSE NT HT REOSE LATION:
prayer: and he looketh thereafter, and he will have it; for with his grace it maketh us like to himself in condition, as we be in kind; and so is his blessed will: for he saith thus, ‘Pray intirely, inwardly, though thee think it savour thee not, yet it is profitable enough, though thou feel it nought : pray intirely, inwardly, though thou feel nought, though thou see nought ; yea, though thou think thou might not ; for in dryness and barrenness, in stckness, and in feebleness, then is thy prayer full pleasant to mee, though thou think it savor thee not but lille ; and so is all thy living prayer in my sight,’ For the meed and the endless thank that he will give us, therefore he is covetuous to have us praying continually in his sight. God accepteth the good will, and the travel of his servants, howsoever we feel: wherefore it pleaseth him that we work in prayer, and in good living, by his help and his grace, reasonably with discretion, keeping our mights to him; till when we have him that we seek, in fulhead of joy,—that is, Jesu. And that shewed he in the xvth Revelation, where he saith, ‘Thou shalt have me to thy meed? Also to prayer longeth thanking: thanking is a true inward knowing, with great reverence and lovely dreed, turning our self with all our mights into the working that our - Lord stirred us to, enjoying and thanking inwardly: and sometime for plentuousness it breaketh out with |
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voyce, and saith, ‘Good Lord, grant mercy ; blessed mote thou be.’ And sometime when the earth is dry, and feeleth naught, or else by temptation of our enemy, then it is driven by reason and by grace to ery upon our Lord with voyce, rehearsing his blessed passion, and his great goodness. And so the vertue of our Lords word turneth into the soul, and quickeneth the heart, and entreth by his grace into true working, and maketh it to pray full blessedfully. And truly to enjoy in our Lord, is a full lovely thanking in his sight.
The Forty-second Chapter
Jer Lord will that we have true understanding, and namely in three things that longeth to our prayer: the jirst is, by whom and how that our prayer springeth ; by whom, he sheweth when he saith, * 7 am ground ;’ and how by his goodness: for he saith, * First it is my mll? For the second, in what manner, and how that we should use our prayers; and that is, that our will be turned into the will of our Lord enjoying: and so he meaneth when he saith, * J make thee to will it For the third, that we know the fruit and end of our prayer; that is, to be oned, and like to our Lord in all thing ; and to this meaning, and for thi. ad, was all this lovely lesson shewed : and 161
PHC LOU ALS NH. REVELATION,
not have your seeking?’ And thus in the first reason, | with the three that follow, our good Lord shows | l a mighty comfort, as it may be seen in the same | words. And in the first reason, there he says; ‘And you b5osoeh Pi! there he shows full pore
p. 98
Cr we
THE FORTY-FIRST CHAPTER,
pleasance and endless meed, that he will give us for our beseeking. And in the sixth reason, there he says, “How should it then be?’ this was said for an unpossible thing ; for it is the most unpossible that may, that we should seek: mercy and grace, and not have it. For of all thing that our good Lord makes us to beseek himself, he has ordained it to us from without beginning. Here may we then see, that our beseeking is not the cause of the goodness and grace that he does to us, but his proper goodness. And that showed he verily in all these sweet words, there he says, *7 am ground. And our good Lord will that this be known of his lovers in earth; and the more that we know, the more shall we beseech, if it be wisely take; and so is our Lords meaning. Beseeching is a true and gracious lasting will of the soul, owned and fastened into the will of our Lord, by the sweet privy working of the Holy Ghost. Our Lord himself he is the first receiver of our prayer, as to my sight, and he takes it full thankfully ; and highly enjoying, he sends it up above, and sets it in treasure, where it shall never perish: it is there before God, with all his holy saints continually received, ever speeding our needs. And when we shall undertake [veceive] our bliss, it shall be given us for a degree of joy, with endless worshipfal thanking of him; full glad and merry is our Lord of our f
PHO LOURTSE NT HT REOSE LATION:
prayer: and he looks thereafter, and he will have it; for with his grace it makes us like to himself in condition, as we be in kind; and so is his blessed will: for he says thus, ‘Pray intirely, inwardly, though you think it savour you not, yet it is profitable enough, though you feel it nought : pray intirely, inwardly, though you feel nought, though you see nought ; yea, though you think you might not ; for in dryness and barrenness, in stckness, and in feebleness, then is your prayer full pleasant to mee, though you think it savor you not but lille ; and so is all your living prayer in my sight,’ For the meed and the endless thank that he will give us, therefore he is covetuous to have us praying continually in his sight. God accepts the good will, and the travel of his servants, howsoever we feel: wherefore it pleases him that we work in prayer, and in good living, by his help and his grace, reasonably with discretion, keeping our mights to him; till when we have him that we seek, in fulhead of joy,—that is, Jesu. And that showed he in the xvth Revelation, where he says, ‘You shall have me to your meed? Also to prayer longs thanking: thanking is a true inward knowing, with great reverence and lovely dreed, turning our self with all our mights into the working that our - Lord stirred us to, enjoying and thanking inwardly: and sometime for plentuousness it breaks out with |
p. 100
THE FORTY-SECOND CHAPTER,
voyce, and says, ‘Good Lord, grant mercy ; blessed mote you be.’ And sometime when the earth is dry, and feels naught, or else by temptation of our enemy, then it is driven by reason and by grace to ery upon our Lord with voyce, rehearsing his blessed passion, and his great goodness. And so the vertue of our Lords word turns into the soul, and quickens the heart, and entrs by his grace into true working, and makes it to pray full blessedfully. And truly to enjoy in our Lord, is a full lovely thanking in his sight.
The Forty-second Chapter
Jer Lord will that we have true understanding, and namely in three things that longs to our prayer: the jirst is, by whom and how that our prayer springs ; by whom, he shows when he says, * 7 am ground ;’ and how by his goodness: for he says, * First it is my mll? For the second, in what manner, and how that we should use our prayers; and that is, that our will be turned into the will of our Lord enjoying: and so he means when he says, * J make you to will it For the third, that we know the fruit and end of our prayer; that is, to be oned, and like to our Lord in all thing ; and to this meaning, and for thi. ad, was all this lovely lesson showed : and 161
PHC LOU ALS NH. REVELATION,
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