Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich
man is blinded in this life, and therefore, we may not see our Father God as he is. And what time that he of his goodness will shew him to man, he sheweth him homely as may ; notwithstanding that I saw verily, we ought to know and believe, that the Father is not man. But his sitting on the earth barren and desert, is this to mean: he made mans soul to be his own city, and his dwelling place ; which is most pleasing to him of all his works. And what time man was fallen into sorrow and pain, he was not all seemly to serve of that noble office. And therefore our kind Father would have dight him none other place, but to sit upon the earth; abiding mankind, which is medled with earth: till what time by his grace, his dear worthy Son had brought again his city into the noble fairness, with his hard travel. The blewhead of that cloathing betokeneth his stedfastness: the brownhead of his fair face, with the seemly blackhead of the eyen, was most according to show his holy soberness. The largeness of his cloathing, which was fair flaming about, betokeneth that he hath beclesed in him all heavin[lin]ess, and all endless joy and bliss. And this was shewed in a touch; where I saw that my understanding was led into the Lord, in which I saw him highly enjoy, for the worshipful restoring, that he will and shall bring his servant to by his plenious zrace. And yet I marvelad, behold- 1.4
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
ing the lord and the servant before said: I saw the lord sit solemnly, and the servant standing reverently before his lord: in which servant is double understanding ; one without, an other within; outward he was clad simple, as a labourer which was disposed to travel, and he stood full near the lord, not even fore anenst him; but in party aside, and that on the left side. His cloathing was a white kirtle, single, old, and all defaulted, dyed with sweat of his body ; streit sitting to him, and short as it were an handful beneath the knee; bare, seeming as it should soon be worn up, ready to be ragged and rent. And in this I marvelled greatly, thinking, this is now an unseemly cloathing for the servant that is so highly loved, to stand in before so worshipful a lord. And inward in him was shewed a ground of love; which love, he had to the lord, that was even like to the love that the lord had to him. The wisdom of the servant saw inwardly, that there was one thing to do, which should be worship to the lord. And the servant for love, having no regard to himself, nor to nothing that might fall of [befall] him, hastily did start and run at the sending of his lord, to do that thing which was his will and his worship ; for it seemed by his outward cloathing, as if he had been a continuant Jabourer, and an hard traveller of long time. And by the inward sight that I had, both in the lord and in the servant, it seemed that 130
THE FIFTY-FIRST ‘CHAPTER
he was anaved; that is to say, new beginning for te travel; which servant was never sent out before. There was a treasure in the earth which the lord loved; I marvelled and thought what it might be: and I was answered in my understanding, it is a meat which is lovesome and pleasing unto the lord: for I saw the lord sit as a man, and I saw neither meat nor drink wherewith to serve him; this was one marvel. Another marvel was, that this solemn lord had no servant but one, and him he sent out: l beheld, thinking what labour it may be that the servant should do; and then I understood that he should do the greatest labour, and the hardest travel ; that is, he should be a gardner, delving and diking, and sweating, and turning the earth up and down, and seek the deepness, and water the plants in time : and in this he should continue his travel, and make sweatfloods to run, and noble plentuousness fruit to spring, which he should bring before the lord, and serve him therewith to his liking; and he should never turn again, till he had dight this meat all ready, as he knew that it liked to thelord: and then á he should take this meat, wi with the drink, and bear it
‘wor Send eee ante! eee e
) gl m
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION,
man is blinded in this life, and therefore, we may not see our Father God as he is. And what time that he of his goodness will show him to man, he shows him homely as may ; notwithstanding that I saw verily, we ought to know and believe, that the Father is not man. But his sitting on the earth barren and desert, is this to mean: he made mans soul to be his own city, and his dwelling place ; which is most pleasing to him of all his works. And what time man was fallen into sorrow and pain, he was not all seemly to serve of that noble office. And therefore our kind Father would have dight him none other place, but to sit upon the earth; abiding mankind, which is medled with earth: till what time by his grace, his dear worthy Son had brought again his city into the noble fairness, with his hard travel. The blewhead of that cloathing betokens his stedfastness: the brownhead of his fair face, with the seemly blackhead of the eyen, was most according to show his holy soberness. The largeness of his cloathing, which was fair flaming about, betokens that he has beclesed in him all heavin[lin]ess, and all endless joy and bliss. And this was showed in a touch; where I saw that my understanding was led into the Lord, in which I saw him highly enjoy, for the worshipful restoring, that he will and shall bring his servant to by his plenious zrace. And yet I marvelad, behold- 1.4
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
ing the lord and the servant before said: I saw the lord sit solemnly, and the servant standing reverently before his lord: in which servant is double understanding ; one without, an other within; outward he was clad simple, as a labourer which was disposed to travel, and he stood full near the lord, not even fore anenst him; but in party aside, and that on the left side. His cloathing was a white kirtle, single, old, and all defaulted, dyed with sweat of his body ; streit sitting to him, and short as it were an handful beneath the knee; bare, seeming as it should soon be worn up, ready to be ragged and rent. And in this I marvelled greatly, thinking, this is now an unseemly cloathing for the servant that is so highly loved, to stand in before so worshipful a lord. And inward in him was showed a ground of love; which love, he had to the lord, that was even like to the love that the lord had to him. The wisdom of the servant saw inwardly, that there was one thing to do, which should be worship to the lord. And the servant for love, having no regard to himself, nor to nothing that might fall of [befall] him, hastily did start and run at the sending of his lord, to do that thing which was his will and his worship ; for it seemed by his outward cloathing, as if he had been a continuant Jabourer, and an hard traveller of long time. And by the inward sight that I had, both in the lord and in the servant, it seemed that 130
THE FIFTY-FIRST ‘CHAPTER
he was anaved; that is to say, new beginning for te travel; which servant was never sent out before. There was a treasure in the earth which the lord loved; I marvelled and thought what it might be: and I was answered in my understanding, it is a meat which is lovesome and pleasing unto the lord: for I saw the lord sit as a man, and I saw neither meat nor drink wherewith to serve him; this was one marvel. Another marvel was, that this solemn lord had no servant but one, and him he sent out: l beheld, thinking what labour it may be that the servant should do; and then I understood that he should do the greatest labour, and the hardest travel ; that is, he should be a gardner, delving and diking, and sweating, and turning the earth up and down, and seek the deepness, and water the plants in time : and in this he should continue his travel, and make sweatfloods to run, and noble plentuousness fruit to spring, which he should bring before the lord, and serve him therewith to his liking; and he should never turn again, till he had dight this meat all ready, as he knew that it liked to thelord: and then á he should take this meat, wi with the drink, and bear it
‘wor Send eee ante! eee e
) gl m
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION,
No commentary for this page under the selected tracks.
There is commentary on page 1.