Revelations of Divine Love — Julian of Norwich
Anp in our ghostly forth-bringing he useth more tenderness in keeping, without any comparison; by as much as our soul is of more price in his sight: he kindleth our understanding; he prepareth our wayes; he easeth our conscience; he comforteth our soul; he lighteth our heart, and giveth us in party knowing and loving in his blessedful Godhead, with gracious mind in his sweet Man-hood, and his blessed passion ; with courteous marvelling in his high over-passing goodness; and maketh us to love all that he loveth for his love, and to be well apaid with him, and with all his works. And when we fall, hastily he raiseth us by his lovely beclipping, and his gracious touching. And when we be strengthened by his sweet working, then we wilfully choose him by his grace, to be his servants, and his lovers, lastingly without end. And yet after this he suffereth some of us to fall more hard, and more grievous than ever we did before, as us thinketh. And then wene we that we be not all wise, that all were naught that we have begun; but it is not so: for it needeth us to fall, and it needeth us to see it; for if we fell not, we should not know how feeble, and how wretched we be of our self,
p. 153
MEN ac did. n a oii
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
nor also we should not so fulsomely know the marvellous love of our Maker; for we shall verily see in heaven without end, that we have grievously sinned in this life. And notwithstanding this, we shall verily see that we were never hurt in his love, nor we were never the less of price in his sight. And by the assey of this falling, we shall have an high and a marvellous knowing of love in God without end: for hard and marvellous is that love which may not, nor will not be broken for trespass. And this was one understanding of profit. Another is the lowness and meekness that we shall get by the sight of our falling , for thereby we shall highly be raised in heaven: to which rising we might never have come without that meekness. And therefore it needed us to see it; and if we see it not, though we feel it, it should not profit us. And commonly first we fall, and sithen we see it, and both 1s of the mercy of God. The mother may suffer the child to fall some time, and be diseased in diverse manners for the [his] own profit; but she may never suffer that any manner of peril come to her child, for love. And though our earthly mother may suffer her child to perish, our heavenly Mother Jesu may never suffer us that be his children to perish; for he is all mighty, all wisdom, and all love: and so is none but he, blessed mote he be. But ofttimes when our failing and our 166
THE SIXTY-FIRST CHAPTER,
wretchedness is shewed us, we be sore adread, and so greatly ashamed of our self, that unneths we wit where that we may hold us. But then will not our courteous Mother that we flee away: for him were nothing lother. But he will then that we use the condition of a child: for when it is dis-eased and afraid, it runneth hastily to the mother; and if it may do no more, it crieth on the mother for help, with all the [his] might; so will he that we done as the meek child, saying thus: ‘My kind Mother, my gracious Mother, my dear worthy Mother, have mercy upon me; I have made myself foul, and unlike to thee, and I may not, nor can amend it, but with thine help and grace. And if we feel us not than eased assoon, be we sure that he useth the condition of a wise mother: for if he see that it be for profit to us to mourn and to weep, he suffereth with ruth and pity into the best time, for love. And he will then that we use the property of a child, that evermore kindly trusteth to the love of the mother, in weal and in woe. And he will that we take us mightily to the faith of Holy Church, and find there our dear worthy Mother in solace and true understanding, with all the blessed common: for one singular person may oftentimes be broken, as it seemeth to the [him] self, but the whole body of Holy Church was never broken, ne never shall be without end. Aud therefore a sure thing it is, a
*- ~ ib,
TIERS HONOUR ROO GEE! REVELATION,
Anp in our ghostly forth-bringing he uses more tenderness in keeping, without any comparison; by as much as our soul is of more price in his sight: he kindles our understanding; he prepares our wayes; he eases our conscience; he comforts our soul; he lights our heart, and gives us in party knowing and loving in his blessedful Godhead, with gracious mind in his sweet Man-hood, and his blessed passion ; with courteous marvelling in his high over-passing goodness; and makes us to love all that he loves for his love, and to be well apaid with him, and with all his works. And when we fall, hastily he raises us by his lovely beclipping, and his gracious touching. And when we be strengthened by his sweet working, then we wilfully choose him by his grace, to be his servants, and his lovers, lastingly without end. And yet after this he suffers some of us to fall more hard, and more grievous than ever we did before, as us thinks. And then wene we that we be not all wise, that all were naught that we have begun; but it is not so: for it needs us to fall, and it needs us to see it; for if we fell not, we should not know how feeble, and how wretched we be of our self,
p. 153
MEN ac did. n a oii
THE FOURTEENTH REVELATION.
nor also we should not so fulsomely know the marvellous love of our Maker; for we shall verily see in heaven without end, that we have grievously sinned in this life. And notwithstanding this, we shall verily see that we were never hurt in his love, nor we were never the less of price in his sight. And by the assey of this falling, we shall have an high and a marvellous knowing of love in God without end: for hard and marvellous is that love which may not, nor will not be broken for trespass. And this was one understanding of profit. Another is the lowness and meekness that we shall get by the sight of our falling , for thereby we shall highly be raised in heaven: to which rising we might never have come without that meekness. And therefore it needed us to see it; and if we see it not, though we feel it, it should not profit us. And commonly first we fall, and sithen we see it, and both 1s of the mercy of God. The mother may suffer the child to fall some time, and be diseased in diverse manners for the [his] own profit; but she may never suffer that any manner of peril come to her child, for love. And though our earthly mother may suffer her child to perish, our heavenly Mother Jesu may never suffer us that be his children to perish; for he is all mighty, all wisdom, and all love: and so is none but he, blessed mote he be. But ofttimes when our failing and our 166
THE SIXTY-FIRST CHAPTER,
wretchedness is showed us, we be sore adread, and so greatly ashamed of our self, that unneths we wit where that we may hold us. But then will not our courteous Mother that we flee away: for him were nothing lother. But he will then that we use the condition of a child: for when it is dis-eased and afraid, it runs hastily to the mother; and if it may do no more, it cries on the mother for help, with all the [his] might; so will he that we done as the meek child, saying thus: ‘My kind Mother, my gracious Mother, my dear worthy Mother, have mercy upon me; I have made myself foul, and unlike to you, and I may not, nor can amend it, but with your help and grace. And if we feel us not than eased assoon, be we sure that he uses the condition of a wise mother: for if he see that it be for profit to us to mourn and to weep, he suffers with ruth and pity into the best time, for love. And he will then that we use the property of a child, that evermore kindly trusts to the love of the mother, in weal and in woe. And he will that we take us mightily to the faith of Holy Church, and find there our dear worthy Mother in solace and true understanding, with all the blessed common: for one singular person may oftentimes be broken, as it seems to the [him] self, but the whole body of Holy Church was never broken, ne never shall be without end. Aud therefore a sure thing it is, a
*- ~ ib,
TIERS HONOUR ROO GEE! REVELATION,
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