Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich
our Lord; how that we be brought again by the Mother-head of mercy and grace into our kindly steed, where that we were in-made by the Motherhead of kind love; which kind love never leaveth us. Our kind Mother, our gracious Mother—for he would all whole become our Mother in ali thing— he took the ground of his work full low, and full mildly in the maidens womb. And that shewed he in the first, where he brought the meek maiden before the eye of my understanding, in the simple stature as she was when she conceived. That is to say, our high God the sovereign wisdom of all, in this low place he arraid him, and dight him all ready in our poor flesh, himself to do the service and the office of Mother-hood in all thing. The Mothers service is nearest, readiest and surest. Nearest, for it is most of kind; readiest, for it is most of love; and sikerest, for it is most of truth. This office, ne might, nor could never none done to the full, but he alone. We wit that all our mothers bear us to pain and to dying? that [is], but [except] our very Mother Jesu. He alone beareth us to joy, and to endless living, blessed mote he be. Thus he sustained us within him, in love and travel, into the full time that he would suffer the sharpest thornes, and grievous pains that ever were, or ever shall be, and died at the last. And when he had done, and so borne us to bliss, yet might 162
Le
Eee re eet Te A ae he Yannis Ses i Pit nes
^ -—HáÓ.
THE SIXTIETH CHAPTER.
not all this make asseeth to his marvellous love. And that he shewed, in these high over-passing words of love; ‘If I might suffer more I would suffer more. He might no more die, but he would not stint working. Wherefore him behooveth to find us, for the dear worthy love of mother-hood hath made him debtor to us. The mother may give her child to suck her milk; but our precious Mother Jesu he may feed us with himself, and doth full courteously, and full tenderly, with the blessed sacrament; that is precious food of very life, and with all the sweet sacraments he sustaineth us full mercifully, and graciously. And so meant he in these blessed words, where he said, ‘J 2 am that Holy Church preacheth thee, and teacheth thee ;’ that is to say, all the health and the life of the sacraments; all the vertue and the grace of my word;
all the goodness that is ordained in Holy Church to thee; ‘I it am; The mother may lay her child tenderly to her breast; but our tender Mother Jesu he may homely lead us into his blessed breast by his sweet open side, and shew us there in party of the Godhead, and the joyes of heaven, with ghostly sureness of endless bliss. And that shewed he in the ixth. Revelation, giving the same understanding in this sweet word, where he saith, * Loe how I lare thee.” behold into his blessed side enjoying. Thr t^ iovely word, Mother, it is so sweet 10 5
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
and so kind in it self, that it may not verily be said of none, ne to none but of him, and to him, that is very Mother of life and of all. To the property of Mother-head longeth kind love, wisdom, and knowing; and it is God: for though it be so, that our bodily forth-bringing be but little, low, and simple, in regard of our ghostly forth-bringing, yet it is he that doth it in the creatures by whom that it is done. The kind loving mother that wotteth and knoweth the need of her child, she keepeth it full tenderly, as the kind and condition of mother-head will; and ever as it waxeth in age and in stature, she changeth the works, but not her love: and when it is waxed of more age, she suffereth that it be chastised, in breaking down of vices, to" make the child receive vertues and grace. This working, with all that be fair and good, our Lord doth it in him by whom it is done. Thus he is our Mother in kind by the working of grace in the lower party, for love of the higher. And he wil that we know it; for he will have all our love fastned to him. And in this I saw that all debt that we owe by Gods bidding, to Father-head and Mother-head, is fulfilled in true loving of God: which blessed love Christ worketh in us. And this was shewed in all; and namely, in the high plentuous words, where he saith; ‘J it am that thou
Zovest.’ 13
OE i
BE
THE SIXTY-FIRST CHAPTER
The Sixty-first Chapter
our Lord; how that we be brought again by the Mother-head of mercy and grace into our kindly steed, where that we were in-made by the Motherhead of kind love; which kind love never leaves us. Our kind Mother, our gracious Mother—for he would all whole become our Mother in ali thing— he took the ground of his work full low, and full mildly in the maidens womb. And that showed he in the first, where he brought the meek maiden before the eye of my understanding, in the simple stature as she was when she conceived. That is to say, our high God the sovereign wisdom of all, in this low place he arraid him, and dight him all ready in our poor flesh, himself to do the service and the office of Mother-hood in all thing. The Mothers service is nearest, readiest and surest. Nearest, for it is most of kind; readiest, for it is most of love; and sikerest, for it is most of truth. This office, ne might, nor could never none done to the full, but he alone. We wit that all our mothers bear us to pain and to dying? that [is], but [except] our very Mother Jesu. He alone bears us to joy, and to endless living, blessed mote he be. Thus he sustained us within him, in love and travel, into the full time that he would suffer the sharpest thornes, and grievous pains that ever were, or ever shall be, and died at the last. And when he had done, and so borne us to bliss, yet might 162
Le
Eee re eet Te A ae he Yannis Ses i Pit nes
^ -—HáÓ.
THE SIXTIETH CHAPTER.
not all this make asses to his marvellous love. And that he showed, in these high over-passing words of love; ‘If I might suffer more I would suffer more. He might no more die, but he would not stint working. Wherefore him behoovs to find us, for the dear worthy love of mother-hood has made him debtor to us. The mother may give her child to suck her milk; but our precious Mother Jesu he may feed us with himself, and does full courteously, and full tenderly, with the blessed sacrament; that is precious food of very life, and with all the sweet sacraments he sustains us full mercifully, and graciously. And so meant he in these blessed words, where he said, ‘J 2 am that Holy Church preaches you, and teaches you ;’ that is to say, all the health and the life of the sacraments; all the vertue and the grace of my word;
all the goodness that is ordained in Holy Church to you; ‘I it am; The mother may lay her child tenderly to her breast; but our tender Mother Jesu he may homely lead us into his blessed breast by his sweet open side, and show us there in party of the Godhead, and the joyes of heaven, with ghostly sureness of endless bliss. And that showed he in the ixth. Revelation, giving the same understanding in this sweet word, where he says, * Loe how I lare you.” behold into his blessed side enjoying. Thr t^ iovely word, Mother, it is so sweet 10 5
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
and so kind in it self, that it may not verily be said of none, ne to none but of him, and to him, that is very Mother of life and of all. To the property of Mother-head longs kind love, wisdom, and knowing; and it is God: for though it be so, that our bodily forth-bringing be but little, low, and simple, in regard of our ghostly forth-bringing, yet it is he that does it in the creatures by whom that it is done. The kind loving mother that wotts and knows the need of her child, she keeps it full tenderly, as the kind and condition of mother-head will; and ever as it waxes in age and in stature, she changes the works, but not her love: and when it is waxed of more age, she suffers that it be chastised, in breaking down of vices, to" make the child receive vertues and grace. This working, with all that be fair and good, our Lord does it in him by whom it is done. Thus he is our Mother in kind by the working of grace in the lower party, for love of the higher. And he wil that we know it; for he will have all our love fastned to him. And in this I saw that all debt that we owe by Gods bidding, to Father-head and Mother-head, is fulfilled in true loving of God: which blessed love Christ works in us. And this was showed in all; and namely, in the high plentuous words, where he says; ‘J it am that you
Zovest.’ 13
OE i
BE
THE SIXTY-FIRST CHAPTER
The Sixty-first Chapter
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