Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich
he will help us, and he shall make it so as he seeth himself; blessed mote he be: for this is our Lords will that our prayer and our trust be both alike large ; for if we trust not as mickle as we pray, we do not full worship to our Lord in our prayer. And also we tarry and pain our self; and the cause is as I believe, for we know not truly that our Lord is ground in whom that our prayer springeth. And also that we know not that it is given us by grace of his love; for if we knew this, it would make us to trust to have of our Lords gift all that we desire ; for I am sure that no man asketh mercy and grace with true meaning, but if mercy and grace be first given to him. But sometime it cometh to our mind that we have prayed long time; and yet it thinketh us that we have not our asking: but herefore should we not be heavy; for I am sure by our Lords meaning, that either we abide a better time, or more grace, or a better gift. He will that we have true knowing in himself that he is being. And in this knowing, he will that our understauding be grounded with all our mights, and all our intents, and all our meanings : and in this ground, he will that we take our steeds [stand], and our dwelling. And by the gracious light of himself, he will that we have understanding of thrce things that follow. The first is, our noble and excellent making. The second, our precious and dear worthy :
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again-being. The ¢hird, all thing that he hath made beneath us, to serve us, and for our love keepeth it. Then meaneth he thus, as if he said, ‘ Behold and see that I have done all this before thy prayer, and now thou art, and prayest me? And thus he meaneth that it longeth to us, to wit that the greatest deeds be done, as Holy Church teacheth. And in the beholding of this, with thanking, we owe to pray for the deed that is now in doing; and that is, that he rule us, and guide us to his worship in this lite, and bring us to his bliss ; and therefore he hath done all. Then meaneth he thus; that we see that he doth it, and we pray therefore; for that one is not enough: for if we pray, and see not that he doth it, it maketh us heavy and doubtful, and that is not his worship. And if we see that doth it, and we pray not, we do not our duty : and so it may not be; that is to say, so is it not in his beholding. But to see that he doth it, and to pray forthwithall: so is he worshipped, and we speed. All thing that our Lord hath ordained to doe, it is his will that we pray therefore, either in special or in general And the joy and the bliss that is to him, and the thank and the worship that we shall have therefore, it passeth the understanding of all creatures in this life, as to my sight. For prayer is a rightwise understanding of that fullhead of joy that is for to come, with true longing, and very trust. Savouring or seeing our bliss, 103
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION,
that we be ordained to, kindly maketh us to long. True understanding and love, with sweet meaning in our Saviour, graciously maketh us to trust. And thus have we of kind to long, and of grace to trust : and in these two workings, our Lord beholdeth us continually. For it is our duty; (and his goodness may no less assigne in us,) that longeth to us, to doe our diligence thereto: and when we do it, yet shal] us think that it is naught : and true it is. But doe we as we may, and meekly ask mercy and grace ; and all that us faileth, we shall it find in him. And thus meaneth he, there he saith, ‘J am the ground of thy beseeching. And thus in those blessedful words, with the shewing, I saw a full overcoming against all our wickedness, and all our doubtful dreeds.
The Forty-third Chapter
Prayer oneth the soul to God, which is ever like to God in kind and in substance, restored by grace ; but it is oft unlike in condition, by sin of mans party. Then is prayer a witness that the soul will as God will; and comforteth the conscience, and ableth man to grace. And thus he teacheth us to pray; and mightily to trust that we shall have it; for he beholdeth us in love, and will make us partner of his good will and deed: and therefore he stirreth us to pray thai, that liketh him to do: for which 104
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THE FORTY-THIRD CHAPTER,
he will help us, and he shall make it so as he sees himself; blessed mote he be: for this is our Lords will that our prayer and our trust be both alike large ; for if we trust not as mickle as we pray, we do not full worship to our Lord in our prayer. And also we tarry and pain our self; and the cause is as I believe, for we know not truly that our Lord is ground in whom that our prayer springs. And also that we know not that it is given us by grace of his love; for if we knew this, it would make us to trust to have of our Lords gift all that we desire ; for I am sure that no man asks mercy and grace with true meaning, but if mercy and grace be first given to him. But sometime it comes to our mind that we have prayed long time; and yet it thinks us that we have not our asking: but herefore should we not be heavy; for I am sure by our Lords meaning, that either we abide a better time, or more grace, or a better gift. He will that we have true knowing in himself that he is being. And in this knowing, he will that our understauding be grounded with all our mights, and all our intents, and all our meanings : and in this ground, he will that we take our steeds [stand], and our dwelling. And by the gracious light of himself, he will that we have understanding of thrce things that follow. The first is, our noble and excellent making. The second, our precious and dear worthy :
102 —
THE FORTY-SECOND CHAPTER,
again-being. The ¢hird, all thing that he has made beneath us, to serve us, and for our love keeps it. Then means he thus, as if he said, ‘ Behold and see that I have done all this before your prayer, and now you are, and prayest me? And thus he means that it longs to us, to wit that the greatest deeds be done, as Holy Church teaches. And in the beholding of this, with thanking, we owe to pray for the deed that is now in doing; and that is, that he rule us, and guide us to his worship in this lite, and bring us to his bliss ; and therefore he has done all. Then means he thus; that we see that he does it, and we pray therefore; for that one is not enough: for if we pray, and see not that he does it, it makes us heavy and doubtful, and that is not his worship. And if we see that does it, and we pray not, we do not our duty : and so it may not be; that is to say, so is it not in his beholding. But to see that he does it, and to pray forthwithall: so is he worshipped, and we speed. All thing that our Lord has ordained to doe, it is his will that we pray therefore, either in special or in general And the joy and the bliss that is to him, and the thank and the worship that we shall have therefore, it passes the understanding of all creatures in this life, as to my sight. For prayer is a rightwise understanding of that fullhead of joy that is for to come, with true longing, and very trust. Savouring or seeing our bliss, 103
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION,
that we be ordained to, kindly makes us to long. True understanding and love, with sweet meaning in our Saviour, graciously makes us to trust. And thus have we of kind to long, and of grace to trust : and in these two workings, our Lord beholds us continually. For it is our duty; (and his goodness may no less assigne in us,) that longs to us, to doe our diligence thereto: and when we do it, yet shal] us think that it is naught : and true it is. But doe we as we may, and meekly ask mercy and grace ; and all that us fails, we shall it find in him. And thus means he, there he says, ‘J am the ground of your beseeching. And thus in those blessedful words, with the showing, I saw a full overcoming against all our wickedness, and all our doubtful dreeds.
The Forty-third Chapter
Prayer ons the soul to God, which is ever like to God in kind and in substance, restored by grace ; but it is oft unlike in condition, by sin of mans party. Then is prayer a witness that the soul will as God will; and comforts the conscience, and abls man to grace. And thus he teaches us to pray; and mightily to trust that we shall have it; for he beholds us in love, and will make us partner of his good will and deed: and therefore he stirs us to pray thai, that likes him to do: for which 104
———
THE FORTY-THIRD CHAPTER,
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