Chapter 7

And [it was] to learn us this, as to mine understanding, [that] our Lord God shewed our Lady Saint Mary in the same time: that is to say, the high Wisdom and Truth she had in beholding of her Maker so great, so holy, so mighty, and so good. This greatness and this nobleness of the beholding of God fulfilled her with reverent dread, and withal she saw herself so little and so low, so simple and so poor, in regard of¹ her Lord God, that this reverent dread fulfilled her with meekness. And thus, by this ground [of meekness] she was fulfilled with grace and with all manner of virtues, and overpasseth all creatures.

And, as I understand it, our Lord God showed us our Lady Saint Mary at the same time to teach us this. He showed us the great wisdom and truth she possessed as she beheld her Maker, so great, so holy, so mighty, and so good. Seeing God's greatness and nobility filled her with reverent awe. At the same time, she saw herself as so small and lowly, so simple and poor, compared with¹ her Lord God, that this reverent awe filled her with humility. And so, with humility as her foundation, she was filled with grace and every kind of virtue, and surpasses all creatures.

In all the time that He shewed this that I have told now in spiritual sight, I saw the bodily sight lasting of the plenteous bleeding of the Head. The great drops of blood fell down from under the Garland like pellots, seeming as it had come out of the veins; and in the coming out they were brown-red, for the blood was full thick; and in the spreading-abroad they were bright-red; and when they came to the brows, then they vanished; notwithstanding, the bleeding continued till many things were seen and understood. The fairness and the lifelikeness is like nothing but the same; the plenteousness is like to the drops of water that fall off the eaves after a great shower of rain, that fall so thick that no man may number them with bodily wit; and for the roundness, they were like to the scale of herring, in the spreading on the forehead. These three came to my mind in the time: pellots, for roundness, in the coming out of the blood; the scale of herring, in the spreading in the forehead, for roundness; the drops off eaves, for the plenteousness innumerable.

All the time he showed me in a spiritual vision what I have just described, I also saw his head bleeding heavily in a bodily vision. Great drops of blood fell from beneath the crown like pellets, as if they had come from the veins. As they came out, they were brownish red, because the blood was very thick. As they spread, they became bright red. When they reached his eyebrows, they vanished. Even so, the bleeding continued until many things had been seen and understood. Its beauty and lifelike quality were unlike anything else. The blood fell as plentifully as drops of water from the eaves after a heavy rain. They fall so thickly that no one can count them by sight. As the drops spread across his forehead, their roundness was like that of herring scales. Three things came to mind at the time: pellets, for the roundness of the blood as it came out; herring scales, for the roundness of the drops as they spread across his forehead; and drops from the eaves, for their countless number.

This Shewing was quick and life-like, and horrifying and dreadful, sweet and lovely. And of all the sight it was most comfort to me that our God and Lord that is so reverend and dreadful, is so homely and courteous: and this most fulfilled me with comfort and assuredness of soul.

This vision was vivid and lifelike, horrifying and dreadful, sweet and lovely. Of all I saw, what comforted me most was this: our God and Lord is so awe-inspiring and fearsome, yet so familiar and gracious. This filled my soul with the greatest comfort and assurance.

And to the understanding of this He shewed this open example:—

To help us understand this, he showed this clear example:

It is the most worship that a solemn King or a great Lord may do a poor servant if he will be homely with him, and specially if he sheweth it himself, of a full true meaning, and with a glad cheer, both privately and in company. Then thinketh this poor creature thus: And what might this noble Lord do of more worship and joy to me than to shew me that am so simple this marvellous homeliness? Soothly it is more joy and pleasance to me than [if] he gave me great gifts and were himself strange in manner.

The greatest honor a king or great lord can show a poor servant is to treat him as a friend. This is especially true if the lord himself shows this friendship sincerely and cheerfully, both in private and in company. Then the poor servant thinks: What more could this noble lord do to honor and delight me than show such wonderful friendship to someone so humble? Truly, this gives me more joy and pleasure than if he gave me great gifts but kept his distance from me.

This bodily example was shewed so highly that man's heart might be ravished and almost forgetting itself for joy of the great homeliness. Thus it fareth with our Lord Jesus and with us. For verily it is the most joy that may be, as to my sight, that He that is highest and mightiest, noblest and worthiest, is lowest and meekest, homeliest and most courteous: and truly and verily this marvellous joy shall be shewn us all when we see Him.

This bodily example was shown so vividly that a person’s heart might be carried away with joy. The great closeness might make a person almost forget themselves. This is how it is between our Lord Jesus and us. In truth, it seems to me that there can be no greater joy than this: he who is highest and mightiest, noblest and worthiest, is also lowest and gentlest, most intimate and most courteous. And truly, this marvelous joy will be shown to us all when we see him.

And this willeth our Lord that we seek for and trust to, joy and delight in, comforting us and solacing us, as we may with His grace and with His help, unto the time that we see it verily. For the most fulness of joy that we shall have, as to my sight, is the marvellous courtesy and homeliness of our Father, that is our Maker, in our Lord Jesus Christ that is our Brother and our Saviour.

Our Lord wants us to seek this and trust in it, and to find joy and delight in it. With his grace and help, we can take comfort and solace in it until we truly see it. For, as I see it, our greatest joy will be the wonderful kindness and closeness of our Father, our Maker. We will know this in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our Brother and our Savior.

But this marvellous homeliness may no man fully see in this time of life, save he have it of special shewing of our Lord, or of great plenty of grace inwardly given of the Holy Ghost. But faith and belief with charity deserveth the meed: and so it is had, by grace; for in faith, with hope and charity, our life is grounded. The Shewing, made to whom that God will, plainly teacheth the same, opened and declared, with many privy points belonging to our Faith which be worshipful to know. And when the Shewing which is given in a time is passed and hid, then the faith keepeth [it] by grace of the Holy Ghost unto our life's end. And thus through the Shewing it is not other than of faith, nor less nor more; as it may be seen in our Lord's teaching in the same matter, by that time that it shall come to the end.

But no one can fully see this wonderful closeness in this life unless our Lord shows it to them in a special revelation, or the Holy Spirit gives them abundant grace within. But faith and belief, together with love, deserve the reward. And so this closeness is received by grace, for our life is grounded in faith, hope, and love. God gives the revelation to whomever he chooses. It plainly teaches and makes clear the same truth, along with many hidden points of our faith that are worthy of knowing. And when the revelation given for a time has passed and is hidden, faith preserves it through the grace of the Holy Spirit until the end of our lives. Thus the revelation is no different from faith, neither less nor more. This can be seen in our Lord's teaching on the same matter by the time it reaches its end.