The Book's Form

Without any special study of the literature of Mysticism for purposes of comparison, in reading Julian's book one is struck by a few characteristics wherein it differs from many other Mystical writings as well as by qualities that belong to most or all of that general designation.

Even without studying mystical literature specifically for comparison, a reader of Julian's book notices a few ways it differs from many other mystical writings. The reader also notices qualities it shares with most or all writings in that category.

The silence of this book both as to preliminary ascetic exercises and as to ultimate visions of the Absolute, might be attributed to Julian's being wholly concerned with giving, for comfort to all, that special sight of truth that came to her as the answer to her own need. She sets out not to teach methods of any kind for the gradual drawing near of man to God, but to record and shew forth a Revelation, granted once, of God's actual nearness to the soul, and for this Revelation she herself had been prepared by the "stirring" of her conscience, her love and her understanding, in a word of her faith, even as she was in short time to be left "neither sign nor token," but only the Revelation to hold "in faith." Moreover, the means that in general she looks to for realising God's nearness, in whatever measure or manner the revelation of it may come to any soul, is the immediate one of faith as a gift of nature and a grace from the Holy Ghost: faith leading by prayer, and effort of obedience, and teachableness of spirit, into actual experience of oneness with God. The natural and common heritage of love and faith is a theme that is dear to Julian: in her view, longing toward God is grounded in the love to Him that is native to the human heart, and this longing (painful through sin) as it is stirred by the Holy Spirit, who comes with Christ, is, in each naturally developed Christian, spontaneous and increasing;—"for the nearer we be to our bliss, the more we long after it" (xlvi., lxxii., lxxxi.). "This is the kinde [the natural] yernings of the soule by the touching of the Holy Ghost: God of Thy goodness give me Thyself: for Thou art enow to me, and I may nothing ask that is less that may be full worshippe to Thee." God is the first as well as the last: the soul begins as well as ends with God: begins by Nature, begins again by Mercy, and ends—yet "without end"—by Grace. Certainly on the way—the way of these three, by falling, by succour, by upraising—to the more perfect knowing of God that is the soul's Fulfilment in Heaven, there is a less immediate knowledge to be gained through experience: "And if I aske anything that is lesse, ever me wantith," for "It needyth us to have knoweing of the littlehede of creatures and to nowtyn all thing that is made, for to love and have God that is onmade." But this knowing of the littleness of creatures comes to Julian first of all in a sight of the Goodness of God; "For [to] a soule that seith the Maker of all, all that is made semith full litil." By the further beholding, indeed, of God as Maker and Preserver, that which has been rightly "noughted" as of no account, is seen to be also truly of much account. For that which was seen by the soul as so little that it seemed to be about to fall to nothing for littleness, is seen by the understanding to have "three properties":—God made it, God loveth it, God keepeth it. Thus it is known as "great and large, fair and good"; "it lasteth, and ever shall, for God loveth it."—Yet again the soul breaks away to its own, with the natural flight of a bird from its Autumn nest at the call of an unseen Spring to the far-off land that is nearer still than its nest, because it is in its heart. "But what is to me sothly [in verity] the Maker, the Keper and the Lover,—I cannot tell, for till I am Substantially oned [deeply united] to Him, I may never have full rest ne very blisse; that is to sey, that I be so festined to Him, that there is right nowte that is made betwix my God and me" (v., viii.). This "fastening" is all that in Julian's book represents that needful process wherein the truth of asceticism has a part. It is not essentially a process of detaching the thought from created things of time—still less one of detaching the heart from created beings of eternity—but a process of more and more allowing and presenting the man to be fastened closely to God by means of the original longing of the soul, the influence of the Holy Ghost, and the discipline of life with its natural tribulations, which by their purifying serve to strengthen the affections that remaining pass through them. "But only in Thee I have all." On the way this discovery of the soul at peace must needs be sometimes a word for exclusion, in parting and pressing onward from things that are made: in the end it is the welcome, all-inclusive. And Julian, notwithstanding her enclosure as a recluse, is one of those that, happy in nature and not too much hindered by conditions of life, possess for large use by the way the mystical peace of fulfilled possession through virtue of freedom from bondage to self. For it is by means of the tyranny of the "self," regarding chiefly itself in its claims and enjoyments, that creature things can be intruded between the soul and God; and always, in some way, the meek inherit the earth. "All things are yours; and ye are Christ's."

The book says nothing about preliminary spiritual exercises or final visions of the Absolute. This may be because Julian is wholly concerned with sharing a particular insight into truth, to comfort everyone. The insight came to her in answer to her own need. She does not set out to teach methods for drawing gradually nearer to God. Instead, she records and reveals a Revelation, granted once, of how near God actually is to the soul. She had been prepared for this Revelation by the “stirring” of her conscience, her love, and her understanding. In a word, she had been prepared by her faith. Soon afterward, she would be left with “neither sign nor token,” but only the Revelation to hold “in faith.” Moreover, Julian generally looks to faith as the immediate means of realizing God’s nearness. This applies in whatever measure or manner that nearness may be revealed to a soul. Faith is both a gift of nature and a grace from the Holy Ghost. Through prayer, efforts to obey, and a teachable spirit, faith leads to an actual experience of oneness with God. The natural and shared heritage of love and faith is a theme dear to Julian. In her view, longing for God is grounded in the love for him that is native to the human heart. This longing is painful because of sin. As the Holy Spirit, who comes with Christ, stirs the longing, it arises spontaneously and grows in each naturally developed Christian. “For the nearer we are to our bliss, the more we long for it” (xlvi., lxxii., lxxxi.). “These are the natural longings of the soul when touched by the Holy Ghost: God, in your goodness, give me yourself. For you are enough for me, and I can ask for nothing less that would fully honor you.” God is the first as well as the last. The soul begins with God as well as ends with him. It begins by Nature, begins again by Mercy, and ends, yet “without end,” by Grace. The soul’s Fulfilment in Heaven is a more perfect knowledge of God. Certainly, on the way to that knowledge, a less immediate knowledge must be gained through experience. The way involves these three: falling, receiving help, and being raised up. “And if I ask for anything less, I am always left wanting,” for “we need to know the littleness of creatures and count all created things as nothing, so that we may love and possess God, who is uncreated.” But Julian first comes to know the littleness of creatures through a sight of the Goodness of God. “For to a soul that sees the Maker of all, all that is made seems very little.” Indeed, by looking further at God as Maker and Preserver, the soul sees more. What it rightly counted as “nothing,” as if of no account, is also truly of much account. At first, the soul saw it as so little that it seemed about to fall into nothingness. But the understanding sees that it has “three properties”: God made it, God loves it, and God keeps it. Thus it is known as “great and large, fair and good.” “It lasts, and always will, because God loves it.” Yet again the soul breaks away toward what is its own. It flies naturally, like a bird leaving its autumn nest for a distant land. An unseen spring calls it there. That land is nearer to the bird than its nest, because it is in the bird’s heart. “But what the Maker, the Keeper, and the Lover truly are to me, I cannot tell. Until I am deeply united to him, I can never have full rest or true bliss. That is to say, I must be so fastened to him that nothing created stands between my God and me” (v., viii.). This “fastening” is all that represents, in Julian’s book, the necessary process in which the truth of asceticism plays a part. It is not essentially a process of turning thought away from created things of time. Still less is it a process of turning the heart away from created beings of eternity. Instead, it is a process of increasingly allowing and offering oneself to be fastened closely to God. This happens through the soul’s original longing, the influence of the Holy Ghost, and the discipline of life. Life’s natural troubles are part of that discipline. They purify the affections that endure them, and so strengthen those affections. “But only in you I have all.” Along the way, this discovery of the soul at peace must sometimes express exclusion. It does so as the soul leaves created things behind and presses onward. In the end, it is an all-inclusive welcome. And Julian, though enclosed as a recluse, was happy in nature and not too hindered by life’s conditions. She is one of those who, through freedom from bondage to self, possess the mystical peace of fulfilled possession. They can make ample use of that peace by the way. For created things can come between the soul and God through the tyranny of the “self.” The self chiefly regards its own claims and pleasures. And always, in some way, the meek inherit the earth. “All things are yours, and you are Christ’s.”

The life of a recluse demanded, no doubt, as other lives do, a daily self-denial as well as an initiatory self-devotion, and from Julian's silence as to "bodily exercises" it cannot of course be assumed that she did not give them, even beyond the incumbent rule of the Church, though not in excess of her usual moderation, some part in her Christian striving for mastery over self. Nor could this silence in itself be taken as a proof that ascetic practices had not in her view a preparatory function such as has by many of the Mystics been assigned to them during a process of self-training in the earlier stages of the soul's ascent to aptitude for mystical vision. It is, however, to be noted that neither in regard to herself nor others do we hear from Julian anything about an undertaking of this kind. To her the "special Shewing" came as a gift, unearned, and unexpected: it came in an abundant answer to a prayer for other things needed by every soul.¹ Julian's desires for herself were for three "wounds" to be made more deep in her life: contrition (in sight of sin), compassion (in sight of sorrow) and longing after God: she prayed and sought diligently for these graces, comprehensive as she felt they were of the Christian life and meant for all; and with them she sought to have for herself, in particular regard to her own difficulties, a sight of such truth as it might "behove" her to know for the glory of God and the comfort of men. According to Julian the "special Shewing" is a gift of comfort for all, sent by God in a time to some soul that is chosen in order that it may have, and so may minister, the comfort needed by itself and by others (ix.). In her experience this Revelation, soon closed, is renewed by influence and enlightenment in the more ordinary grace of its giver, the Holy Ghost. But a still fuller sight of God shall be given, she rejoices to think, in Heaven, to all that shall reach that Fulfilment of blessed life—the only mount of the soul set forth in this book. Thither, by the high-road of Christ, all souls may go, making the steep ascent through "longing and desire,"—longing that embodies itself in desire towards God, that is, in Prayer.

The life of a recluse no doubt required daily self-denial, as other lives do. It also required an initial dedication of oneself. Julian says nothing about "bodily exercises." But we cannot assume that she gave them no part in her Christian struggle for self-mastery. She may have practiced them beyond what Church rules required, though without going beyond her usual moderation. Nor does her silence itself prove that she saw no preparatory role for ascetic practices. Many Mystics have assigned them a role in self-training during the early stages of the soul's ascent toward readiness for mystical vision. However, Julian tells us nothing about undertaking such training, either for herself or for others. For Julian, the "special Shewing" came as a gift, unearned and unexpected. It came as a generous answer to a prayer for other things every soul needs.¹ Julian wanted three "wounds" to grow deeper in her life: contrition at the sight of sin, compassion at the sight of sorrow, and longing for God. She prayed and sought diligently for these graces. She felt that they encompassed the Christian life and were meant for all. Along with them, and in light of her own particular difficulties, she sought a vision of the truth it might "behove" her to know for God's glory and the comfort of others. According to Julian, the "special Shewing" is a gift of comfort for all. God sends it at a particular time to a chosen soul. That soul can then receive the comfort needed by itself and others, and so provide it to others (ix.). In Julian's experience, the Revelation soon comes to an end. Its influence and enlightenment are then renewed through the more ordinary grace of its giver, the Holy Ghost. But Julian rejoices to think that an even fuller vision of God will be given in Heaven to all who reach that Fulfilment of blessed life. This is the only mountain of the soul described in the book. All souls may travel there by the high road of Christ, making the steep ascent through "longing and desire." This longing takes form in desire for God, that is, in Prayer.

Nothing is said by Julian as to successive stages of Prayer, though she speaks of different kinds of prayer as the natural action of the soul under different experiences or in different states of feeling or "dryness." Prayer is asking ("beseeching"), with submission and acquiescence; or beholding, with the self forgotten, yet offered-up; it is a thanking and a praising in the heart that sometimes breaks forth into voice; or a silent joy in the sight of God as all-sufficient. And in all these ways "Prayer oneth the soul to God."

Julian says nothing about successive stages of prayer. But she does speak of different kinds of prayer. These arise naturally in the soul through different experiences, feelings, or states of "dryness." Prayer is asking ("beseeching"), with submission and acceptance. Or it is beholding, with the self forgotten but still offered up. Prayer is also giving thanks and praise in the heart, which sometimes finds expression in words. Or it is a silent joy in seeing that God is all-sufficient. And in all these ways, "Prayer unites the soul with God."

To Julian's understanding the only Shewing of God that could ever be, the highest and lowest, the first and the last, was the Vision of Him as Love. "Hold thee therin and thou shalt witten and knowen more in the same. But thou shalt never knowen ne witten other thing without end. Thus was I lerid that Love was our Lord's menyng" (lxxxvi.). Alien to the "simple creature" was that desert region where some of the lovers of God have endeavoured to find Him,—desiring an extreme penetration of thought (human thought, after all, since for men there is none beyond it) or an utmost reach of worship (worship from fire and ice) in proclaiming the Absolute One not only as All that is, but as All that is not. Julian's desire was truly for God in Himself, through Christ by the Holy Spirit of Love: for God in "His homeliest home," the soul, for God in His City. Therefore she follows only the upward way of the light attempered by grace, not turning back to the Via Negativa, that downward road that starting from a conception of the Infinite "as the antithesis of the finite,"² rather than as including and transcending the finite, leads man to deny to his words of God all qualities known or had by human, finite beings. Julian keeps on the way that is natural to her spirit and to all her habits of thought as these may have been directed by reading and conversation: it does not take her towards that Divine Darkness of which some seers have brought report. Hers was not one of those souls that would, and must, go silent and alone and strenuous through strange places: "homely and courteous" she ever found Almighty God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

In Julian's understanding, the only revelation God could ever give, the highest and lowest, the first and last, was the vision of him as Love. "Hold fast to that, and you shall understand and know more of it. But you shall never know or understand anything else, forever. Thus I was taught that Love was our Lord's meaning" (lxxxvi.). The "simple creature" was a stranger to the desert region where some lovers of God have tried to find him. They have sought the deepest possible thought, human thought, after all, since humans have no other kind. Or they have sought the furthest reach of worship (worship of fire and ice). They have done so by proclaiming the Absolute One not only as All that is, but as All that is not. Julian truly desired God in himself, through Christ by the Holy Spirit of Love. She desired God in "his most familiar home," the soul, and God in his City. Therefore she follows only the upward path of light tempered by grace. She does not turn back to the Via Negativa, that downward road. The Via Negativa begins with an idea of the Infinite "as the opposite of the finite,"² rather than as including and transcending the finite. It leads people to deny that any words they use of God can describe qualities known or possessed by finite human beings. Julian stays on the path natural to her spirit and to all her habits of thought, as these may have been shaped by reading and conversation. Her path does not take her toward the Divine Darkness of which some seers have told. Hers was not one of those souls that would, and must, travel silently, alone, and with great effort through strange places. She always found Almighty God "familiar and courteous" in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Julian's mystical sight was not a negation of human modes of thought: neither was it a torture to human powers of speech nor a death-sentence to human activities of feeling. "He hath no despite of that which He hath made" (vi.). This seer of the littleness of all that is made saw the Divine as containing, not as engulfing, all things that truly are, so that in some way "all things that are made" because of His love last ever. Certainly she passes sometimes beyond the language of earth, seeing a love and a Goodness "more than tongue can tell," but she is never inarticulate in any painful, struggling way—when words are not to be found that can tell all the truth revealed, she leaves her Lord's "meaning" to be taken directly from Him by the understanding of each desirous soul. So is it with the Shewing of God as the Goodness of everything that is good: "It is I—it is I" (xxvi.). Certainly Julian looks both downward and upward, sees Love in the lowest depth, far below sin, below even Mercy; sees Love as the highest that can be, rising higher and higher far above sight, in skies that as yet she is not called to enter: "abysses" there are, below and above, like Angela di Foligno's "double abyss"; but here is no desert region like that where Angela seems as "an eagle descending"³ from heights of unbreathable air, baffled and blinded in its assault on the Sun, proclaiming the Light Unspeakable in anguished, hoarse, inarticulate cries; here is a mountain-path between the abysses and the sound as of a chorus from pilgrims singing:

Julian's mystical vision did not deny human ways of thinking. Nor did it torture our powers of speech or condemn our capacity for feeling to death. "He hath no despite of that which He hath made" (vi.). Julian saw how small all created things are. Yet she saw the Divine as containing, not engulfing, all things that truly exist. In this way, "all things that are made" last forever because of his love. At times, Julian certainly goes beyond earthly language. She sees a love and a Goodness "more than tongue can tell." But she is never painfully or desperately lost for words. When words cannot express the whole truth revealed, she leaves each yearning soul to understand her Lord's "meaning" directly from him. This is so in the Showing of God as the Goodness of everything that is good: "It is I—it is I" (xxvi.). Julian certainly looks both downward and upward. She sees Love in the lowest depths, far below sin and even below Mercy. She sees Love as the highest thing possible, rising higher and higher, far beyond sight. It rises into skies she is not yet called to enter. There are "abysses" below and above, like Angela di Foligno's "double abyss." But Julian's vision has no desert region like the one where Angela seems like "an eagle descending"³ from heights where the air cannot be breathed. Angela's eagle is defeated and blinded in its attack on the Sun. It proclaims the Light Unspeakable in anguished, hoarse cries beyond words. Here, instead, is a mountain path between the abysses, and a sound like a chorus of pilgrims singing:

Moreover, Julian while guided by Reason is led by the "Mind" of her soul—pioneer of the path through the wood of darkness though Reason is ready to disentangle the lower hindrances of the way; and where her instructed soul "finds rest," those things that are hid from the wisdom and prudence of Reason only are to its simplicity of obedience revealed. Even as her Way is Christ-Jesus, and her walk by "longing and desire" is of faith and effort, so the End and the Rest that she seeks is the fulness of God, in measure as the soul can enter upon His fulness here and in that heavenly "oneing" with Him which shall be by grace the "fulfilling" and "overpassing" of "Mankind." "The Mid-Person willed to be Ground and Head of this fair End," "out of Whom we ben al cum, in Whom we be all inclosid, into Whom we shall all wyndyn, in Him fynding our full Hevyn in everlestand joye" (liii.).[^4] The soul that participates in God cannot be lost in God, the soul that wends into oneness with God finds there at last its Self. Words of the Spirit-nature fail to describe to man, as he is, this fulness of personal life, and Julian falls back in one effort, daring in its infantine concreteness of language, on acts of all the five senses to symbolise the perfection of spiritual life that is in oneness with God (xliii.).

Moreover, although Reason guides Julian, the "Mind" of her soul leads her. It pioneers the path through the dark wood, though Reason is ready to clear away the lesser obstacles. Where her instructed soul "finds rest," things hidden from the wisdom and prudence of Reason alone are revealed to its simple obedience. Just as Christ-Jesus is her Way, and she walks by "longing and desire" in faith and effort, so the End and Rest she seeks is the fullness of God. The soul can enter that fullness to some extent here. It will also enter that fullness in its heavenly "oneing" with God. By grace, this will be the "fulfilling" and "overpassing" of "Mankind." "The Mid-Person willed to be the Ground and Head of this fair End," "from whom we have all come, in whom we are all enclosed, to whom we shall all return, finding in him our full Heaven in everlasting joy" (liii.).[^4] The soul that shares in God cannot be lost in God. The soul that moves into oneness with God finds its Self there at last. Words about the nature of the Spirit cannot describe this fullness of personal life to human beings as they are. So, in one attempt, Julian turns to the actions of all five senses to symbolize the perfection of spiritual life in oneness with God. Her language is daring in its childlike concreteness (xliii.).

It may be noted that in these "Revelations" there is absolutely no regarding of Christ as the "Bridegroom" of the individual soul: once or twice Julian in passing uses the symbol of "the Spouse," "the Fair Maiden," "His loved Wife," but this she applies only to the Church. In her usual speech Christ when unnamed is our "Good" or our "Courteous" Lord, or sometimes simply "God," and when she seeks to express pictorially His union with men and His work for men, then the soul is the Child and Christ is the Mother. In this symbolic language the love of the Christian soul is the love of the Child to its Mother and to each of the other children.

It is worth noting that these "Revelations" never describe Christ as the "Bridegroom" of the individual soul. Once or twice, Julian briefly uses the images of "the Spouse," "the Fair Maiden," and "His loved Wife." But she applies these images only to the Church. Usually, when she does not name Christ, she calls him our "Good" or "Courteous" Lord, or sometimes simply "God." When she seeks to picture his union with people and his work for them, the soul is the Child and Christ is the Mother. In this symbolic language, the Christian soul loves as a Child loves its Mother and each of the other children.

Julian's Mystical views seem in parts to be cognate with those of earlier and later systems based on Plato's philosophy, and especially perhaps on his doctrine of Love as reaching through the beauties of created things higher and higher to union with the Absolute Beauty above, Which is God—schemes of thought developed before her and in her time by Plotinus, Clement, Augustine, Dionysius "the Areopagite," John the Scot, Eckhart, the Victorines,⁵ Ruysbroeck, and others. One does not know what her reading may have been, or with what people she may have conversed. Possibly the learned Austin Friars that were settled close to St Julian's in Conisford may have lent her books by some of these writers, or she may have been influenced through talks with a Confessor, or with some of the Flemish weavers of Norwich, with whom Mystical views were not uncommon. Yet the Mysticism of the "Revelations" is peculiarly of the English type. Less exuberant in language than Richard Rolle, the Hermit of Hampole, Julian resembles him a little in her blending of practical sense with devotional fervour; but the writer to whom she seems, at any rate in some of her phrases, most akin is Walter Hilton, her contemporary.⁶ Hilton, however, is very rich in quotations from the Bible, while Julian's only direct quotations from any book—beyond her reference to the legend of St Dionysius—are one that belongs to Christ: "I thirst" (xvii.), and two that belong to the soul: "Lord, save me: I perish!" "Nothing shal depart me from the charite of Criste" (xv.). (And indeed these three are a fit embodiment of the Christian Faith as seen in her "Revelations.") But Julian, while perhaps more speculative than either of these typical English Mystics, is thoroughly a woman. Lacking their literary method of procedure, she has a high and tender beauty of thought and a delicate bloom of expression that are her own rare gifts—the beauty of the hills against skies in summer evenings, of an orchard in mornings of April. Again and again she stirs in the reader a kind of surprised gladness of the simple perfection wherewith she utters, by few and adequate words, a thought that in its quietness convinces of truth, or an emotion deep in life. Of a little child it has been said: "He thought great thoughts simply," and Julian's deepness of insight and simplicity of speech are like the Child's.⁷ "For ere that He made us He loved us, and when we were made we loved Him" (liii.). "I love thee, and thou lovest me, and our love shall not be disparted in two" (lxxxii.). "Thou art my Heaven." "I had liefer have been in that pain till Doomsday than have come to Heaven otherwise than by Him." "Human is the vehemence," says a writer on Julian's "Revelations," of that reiterated exclusion of all other paths to joy. 'Me liked,' she says, 'none other heaven.' Once again she touches the same octave, condensing in a single phrase which has seldom been transcended in its brief expression of the possession that leaves the infinity of love's desire still unsatiated: 'I saw Him and sought Him, I had Him, and I wanted Him.' Fletcher's tenderness, Ford's passion lose colour placed side by side with the utterances of this worn recluse whose hands are empty of every treasure."⁸ Sometimes with her subject her language assumes a majestic solemnity: "The pillars of Heaven shall tremble and quake" (lxxv.); sometimes it seems to march to its goal in an ascent of triumphal measure as with beating of drums: "The body was in the grave till Easter-morrow and from that time He lay nevermore. For then was rightfully ended" ... (close of Chap. li.). Generally, perhaps, the style in its movement recalls the rippling yet even flow of a brook, cheerfully, sweetly monotonous: "If any such lover be in earth which is continually kept from falling, I know it not: for it was not shewed me. But this was shewed: that in falling and in rising we are ever preciously kept in one love" (lxxxii.). But now and again the listener seems to be caught up to Heaven with song, as in that time when her "marvelling" joy in beholding love "breaks out with voice":—"Behold and see! the precious plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell, and braste her bands, and delivered all that were there that belonged to the Court of Heaven. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all Earth and is ready to wash all creatures of sin which be of goodwill, have been and shall be. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood ascended up into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there is in Him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father, and is and shall be as long as it needeth; and ever shall be as long as it needeth; and evermore it floweth in all Heavens, enjoying the salvation of all mankind that are there, and shall be—fulfilling the Number that faileth" (xii.).

Julian's mystical views sometimes seem related to earlier and later systems based on Plato's philosophy. This is perhaps especially true of his doctrine of Love. In that doctrine, love reaches ever higher through the beauties of created things, toward union with the Absolute Beauty above, which is God. Such systems of thought were developed before and during Julian's time. Their thinkers included Plotinus, Clement, Augustine, Dionysius "the Areopagite," John the Scot, Eckhart, the Victorines,⁵ Ruysbroeck, and others. We do not know what Julian may have read or whom she may have spoken with. The learned Austin Friars, who lived close to St Julian's in Conisford, may have lent her books by some of these writers. Or she may have been influenced by conversations with a Confessor or with some of the Flemish weavers of Norwich. Mystical views were not uncommon among those weavers. Yet the mysticism of the "Revelations" is distinctly English. Julian's language is less exuberant than that of Richard Rolle, the Hermit of Hampole. But she resembles him a little in her blend of practical sense and devotional fervour. The writer she seems closest to, at least in some of her phrases, is her contemporary Walter Hilton.⁶ Hilton, however, quotes the Bible very often. Julian refers to the legend of St Dionysius, but otherwise directly quotes from books only three times. One quotation belongs to Christ: "I thirst" (xvii.). Two belong to the soul: "Lord, save me: I perish!" and "Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ" (xv.). (Indeed, these three quotations fittingly express the Christian Faith as seen in her "Revelations.") Julian is perhaps more speculative than either of these typical English Mystics, but she is thoroughly a woman. She lacks their literary method, yet she has rare gifts of her own: a lofty, tender beauty of thought and a delicate freshness of expression. Her beauty is like that of hills against the sky on summer evenings, or an orchard on April mornings. Again and again, she gives the reader a kind of surprised gladness. She expresses a thought or a feeling with a simple perfection, using few words, but just enough. In its quietness, the thought convinces us of its truth, or the feeling speaks from deep within life. It has been said of a little child: "He thought great thoughts simply." Julian's depth of insight and simplicity of speech are like the Child's.⁷ "For before he made us he loved us, and when we were made we loved him" (liii.). "I love you, and you love me, and our love shall not be divided in two" (lxxxii.). "You are my Heaven." "I would rather have been in that pain until Doomsday than have come to Heaven any other way than through him." A writer on Julian's "Revelations" says of her repeated rejection of every other path to joy: "The vehemence is human." The writer continues: "'No other heaven pleased me,' she says. Once again she strikes the same note. She expresses it in a single phrase that has seldom been surpassed in its brevity. It describes a possession that still leaves love's infinite desire unsatisfied: 'I saw him and sought him, I had him, and I wanted him.' Fletcher's tenderness and Ford's passion lose their colour beside the words of this worn recluse, whose hands are empty of every treasure."⁸ Sometimes Julian's language takes on a majestic solemnity, in keeping with her subject: "The pillars of Heaven shall tremble and quake" (lxxv.). At other times it seems to march toward its goal, rising in a triumphant rhythm, as if drums were beating: "The body was in the grave until Easter morning, and from that time he never lay there again. For then was rightfully ended" ... (close of Chap. li.). Generally, perhaps, her style moves like a rippling but even brook, cheerfully and sweetly monotonous: "If there is any such lover on earth who is continually kept from falling, I do not know it. For it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and in rising we are always dearly held in one love" (lxxxii.). But now and then the listener seems to be carried up to Heaven in song. This happens when her wondering joy at seeing love "breaks out with voice": "Look and see! The precious abundance of his beloved blood descended into Hell, broke its bonds, and delivered all who were there and belonged to the Court of Heaven. The precious abundance of his beloved blood overflows all Earth. It is ready to wash from sin all creatures of goodwill who have been, are, and shall be. The precious abundance of his beloved blood ascended into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ. There it is in him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father. It is there and shall be as long as it is needed. And it shall always be there as long as it is needed. And forever it flows in all Heavens, rejoicing in the salvation of all humanity who are there and shall be, making up the number that is not yet complete" (xii.).

The Early English Mystics make good reading,—even as to the mere manner of their writings we might say, if it were possible to separate the style from the freshness of feeling and the pointedness of thought that inform it; and though we do not, of course, have from Julian,—a woman writing of the Revelations of Love,—the delightfully trenchant, easy address of Hilton in his counsels as to how to scale the Ladder of Perfection—counsels both wise and witty—yet Julian, too, with all her sweetness, is full of this every day vigour and common sense. And sometimes she puts things in a naïve, engaging way of her own, grave and yet light—as if with a little understanding smile to those to whom she is speaking:—"Then ween we, who be not all wise"; "That the outward part should draw the inward to assent was not shewed to me, but that the inward draweth the outward by grace and both shall be oned in bliss without end by the virtue of Christ, this was shewed" (lxi., xix.).

The Early English Mystics are well worth reading. We might say this even of their style alone, if style could be separated from the fresh feeling and sharp thought that shape it. Julian is a woman writing about the Revelations of Love. Of course, she does not have Hilton's delightfully incisive, easy manner as he advises readers how to climb the Ladder of Perfection. His advice is both wise and witty. Yet Julian, too, for all her sweetness, is full of everyday vigor and common sense. Sometimes she expresses things in her own innocent, engaging way, serious yet light. It is as if she were giving her readers a little smile of understanding: "Then we think, we who are not all wise"; "It was not shown to me that the outward part draws the inward part to agree. But this was shown to me: the inward part draws the outward part through grace, and both will be united in endless bliss through the power of Christ" (lxi., xix.).

Rolle, Hilton, and more especially the Ancren Riwle, give examples of that custom of allegorical interpretation of Sacred Scriptures that has fascinated many mystical authors, but one can scarcely suppose that this method would ever have been a favourite one with Julian even if she had been in the way of dealing with literary parallels and references. For though she uses "examples," or illustrations (sometimes calling them "shewings," or "bodily examples") and also metaphorically figurative speech, she does not shew any interest in elaborate, arbitrary symbolism. At any rate she is too directly simple, it seems, and too much in the centre of realities, to be a writer that (without constraint of following the lines of others) would take as foundation for an argument or an exposition outward resemblances or verbal connections, fit perhaps to illustrate or enforce the truth in question, but lacking in relation to it that inward vital oneness whereby certain things that to man seem below him may become symbolic to him of others that he beholds as within or above him.

Rolle, Hilton, and especially the Ancren Riwle, offer examples of the allegorical interpretation of Sacred Scriptures. This method has fascinated many mystical authors. But it is hard to imagine that Julian would ever have favored it, even if she had dealt with literary parallels and references. She uses "examples," or illustrations, sometimes calling them "shewings," or "bodily examples." She also uses metaphorical language, but shows no interest in elaborate, arbitrary symbolism. In any case, Julian seems too direct and simple, and too focused on realities, to base an argument or explanation on outward resemblances or verbal connections, unless she was obliged to follow others. Such resemblances or connections might illustrate or reinforce the truth in question. But they lack an inward, vital unity with that truth. It is this unity that can make certain things seem symbolic to people of other things they see within or above themselves, even though the symbolic things seem beneath them.

Exposition by analysis has been reckoned to be characteristic of the Schoolmen rather than of the Mystics,⁹ though surely a mystical sight may be served by an analytical process, and to see God in a part before or while He is seen in the whole is effected not without analysis of the subtlest kind. So we find analysis in Julian's sight (Rev. iii.): "I saw God in a point"; and in her conclusions from this: "By which sight I saw that He is in all things"; and in her immediate raising, from this conclusion, of the question: "What is sin?" and throughout her treatment of the problem in the scheme of her book. Even for the merely formal task of distinguishing by number, Julian, we see, will set briskly forward (though we may not feel much inclined to follow) and often she begins her careful dissections with: "In this I see"—four, five, or six things, as the case may be. Her speech of spiritual Revelations is, however, helped out less by numbers than by living and homely things of sight: the mother and the children and the nurse; lords and servants, kings and their subjects (with echoes of the language of Court and chivalry); the deep sea-ground, waters for our service; clothing, in its warmth, grace and colour; the light that stands in the night, the hazel-nut, the scales of herrings.¹⁰

Explanation through analysis has been considered characteristic of the Schoolmen rather than the Mystics.⁹ Yet surely analysis can serve a mystical vision. Seeing God in a part, before or while seeing him in the whole, requires analysis of the subtlest kind. So we find analysis in Julian's vision (Rev. iii.): "I saw God in a point". We also find it in her conclusion: "By which sight I saw that He is in all things". Immediately after this conclusion, she asks: "What is sin?" Analysis also appears throughout her treatment of the problem in the structure of her book. Julian even sets briskly about the purely formal task of numbering distinctions, though we may not feel much inclined to follow. She often begins her careful examinations with: "In this I see" four, five, or six things, as the case may be. But she uses numbers less often than vivid, familiar images to describe spiritual Revelations. These include the mother, the children, and the nurse. There are lords and servants, kings and their subjects, with echoes of the language of Court and chivalry. There is the deep sea-ground, water for our use, and clothing in its warmth, grace, and colour. There is the light that stands in the night, the hazel-nut, and the scales of herrings.¹⁰

As one grows familiar with the "Revelations" one finds oneself in the midst of a great scheme: a network of ideas that cross and re-cross each other in a way not very clear at first, perhaps, but not really in confusion. All through this treatise from its beginning, the Revelation as a whole is in the mind of Julian; interpolation by another writer is out of the question: the book is all of a piece, both as the expression of one person, in mind and character, and as the setting forth of a theological system. From the first we find Julian holding her diverse threads of nature and mercy and grace for the fabric of love she is weaving, and all through she guides them in and out, with no hesitation, till at last the whole design lies fair before her, shewing the Goodness of God.

As one becomes familiar with the "Revelations," one finds a great design: a network of ideas that cross and recross. The ideas may not be very clear at first, perhaps, but they are not really confused. From the beginning of the treatise, Julian has the whole Revelation in mind. Another writer could not have inserted passages into it. The book is a unified whole, both as an expression of one person's mind and character and as a presentation of a theological system. From the first, Julian holds the different threads of nature, mercy, and grace for the fabric of love she is weaving. Throughout the book, she guides the threads in and out without hesitation. At last, the whole design lies clear before her, showing the Goodness of God.

With regard to this scheme it may be noted that apart from her merely intellectual pleasure in arithmetical methods of statement, Julian shews throughout a mystical sense of numerical correspondences. Life, both as being and action, is, to her sight, in its perfection full of trinities; while there are doubles,—incident to its imperfection, as we may put it, perhaps, though the book itself does not mark this distinction in so many words—there are doubles wherein two things are partially opposed and require for their reconciling a third that will complete them into trinity. First, as the Centre of all, there is the BLESSED TRINITY: All-Might, All-Wisdom, All-Love: one Goodness: FATHER and SON and HOLY GHOST: one Truth. To the First, Second, and Third Persons correspond the verbs MAY, for all-powerful freedom to do; CAN, for all-skilful ability to do; WILL, for all-loving will to do. So also "the Father willeth, the Son worketh, the Holy Ghost confirmeth." Another nomenclature of the Holy Trinity is, Might, Wisdom, Goodness: one Love; but that of Might, Wisdom, Love (employed by Abelard, Aquinas, and the Schoolmen generally) is the usual one, while Truth, Wisdom, Love, is employed in reference to that Image of God wherein Man is made: for man has not created might: his might is all in the uncreated might of God. Man in his essential Nature is "made-trinity," "like to the unmade Blessed Trinity"—a human trinity of truth, wisdom, love; and these respectively see, behold, and delight in the Divine Trinity of Truth, Wisdom, Love.

Regarding this scheme, one point may be noted. Julian takes intellectual pleasure in expressing ideas through numbers, but she also shows a mystical sense of numerical correspondences throughout. In her view, life in its perfection is full of trinities, both in its being and in its action. There are also doubles, perhaps arising from life’s imperfection, though the book itself does not state this distinction in so many words. In these doubles, two things are partly opposed and need a third to reconcile them and complete them as a trinity. First, at the center of all, is the BLESSED TRINITY: All-Might, All-Wisdom, All-Love: one Goodness: FATHER and SON and HOLY GHOST: one Truth. The verbs MAY, CAN, and WILL correspond to the First, Second, and Third Persons. MAY expresses the freedom to do all things through power, CAN the ability to do all things through skill, and WILL the loving will to do all things. Likewise, "the Father willeth, the Son worketh, the Holy Ghost confirmeth." Another way to name the Holy Trinity is Might, Wisdom, Goodness: one Love. But Might, Wisdom, Love is the usual form, used by Abelard, Aquinas, and the Schoolmen generally. Truth, Wisdom, Love, is used for the Image of God in which Man is made. For man has no created might: all his might rests in the uncreated might of God. In his essential Nature, man is "made-trinity," "like to the unmade Blessed Trinity". He is a human trinity of truth, wisdom, and love. These respectively see, behold, and delight in the Divine Trinity of Truth, Wisdom, Love.

Man possesses Reason, which knows, Mind, or a feeling wisdom, which wits, and Love, which loves. The making of Man by the Son of God as Eternal Christ, is the work of Nature; the falling of Man is "suffered" (allowed), and afterwards healed, by Mercy; the raising of Man to a higher than his first state is the work of Grace. "In Nature we have our Being; in Mercy we have our Increasing; in Grace we have our Fulfilling." The work of grace by means of our natural Reason enlightened by the Holy Ghost to see our sins, is Contrition; by means of our naturally-feeling Mind, touched by the Holy Ghost to behold the pain of the world, is Compassion; by means of our nature-and grace-inspired Love, which loves our Maker and Saviour (still by the separation of sin partially, painfully, hid from our sight) is greater Longing toward God. This longing must become an active "desire": for the chief work that we can do as fellow-workers with God in achieving full oneness with Him is Prayer; of which there are three things to understand: its Ground is God by whose Goodness it springeth in us; its use is "to turn our will to the will of our Lord"; its end is "that we should be made one with and like to our Lord in all things." And lastly we have for this life, both by nature and grace, the comprehensive virtue of Faith, "in which all our virtues come to us" and which has in its own nature three elements: understanding, belief, and trust. With Faith, which belongs perhaps chiefly to Reason,—Faith is "nought else but a right understanding, with true belief and sure trust, of our Being: that we are in God, and God in us, Whom we see not," "A light by nature coming from our endless Day, that is our Father, God" (liv., lxxxiii.)—is also Hope, which belongs to our feeling Mind (our Remembrance) and to the work of Mercy in this our fallen state: "Hope that we shall come to our Substance (our high and heavenly nature) again." Moreover, "Charity keepeth us in Hope and Hope leadeth us in Charity; and in the end all shall be Charity" (lxxxv.).

Man has Reason, which knows, Mind, or a feeling wisdom, which perceives, and Love, which loves. The Son of God, as Eternal Christ, created Man through the work of Nature. Man’s fall is "permitted" (allowed), and afterward healed, by Mercy. Man is raised to a higher state than his first state through the work of Grace. "In Nature we have our Being. In Mercy we grow. In Grace we reach our fulfillment." The Holy Ghost works through our natural Reason, enlightening it to see our sins. This work of grace is Contrition. The Holy Ghost also touches our naturally feeling Mind, so that it sees the pain of the world. This work of grace is Compassion. Our Love, inspired by nature and grace, loves our Maker and Saviour. Yet the separation caused by sin still partly and painfully hides him from our sight. Through this Love, the work of grace is a greater Longing toward God. This longing must become an active "desire". For Prayer is the chief work we can do as fellow workers with God to achieve full oneness with him. There are three things to understand about prayer. Its Ground is God, whose Goodness makes prayer arise in us. Its use is "to turn our will to the will of our Lord". Its end is "that we should be made one with and like our Lord in all things." Finally, in this life, both nature and grace give us the all-encompassing virtue of Faith, "in which all our virtues come to us". Faith has three elements in its own nature: understanding, belief, and trust. Faith belongs perhaps chiefly to Reason. Faith is "nothing else but a right understanding, with true belief and sure trust, of our Being: that we are in God, and God in us, whom we do not see". It is "a light that by nature comes from our endless Day, who is our Father, God" (liv., lxxxiii.). Alongside Faith is also Hope. Hope belongs to our feeling Mind (our Remembrance) and to the work of Mercy in our fallen state: "Hope that we shall come to our Substance (our high and heavenly nature) again." Moreover, "Charity keeps us in Hope and Hope leads us in Charity, and in the end all shall be Charity" (lxxxv.).

With these trinities and groups of threes are others, belonging to God and man, mentioned successively in the closing chapters of the book: three manners of God's Beholding (or Regard of Countenance): that of the Passion, that of Compassion, and that of Bliss; three kinds of longing God has: to teach us, to have us, to fulfil us; three things that man needs in this life from God: Love, Longing, and Pity—"pity in love," to keep him now, and "longing in the same love" to draw him to heaven; three things by which man standeth in this life and by which God is worshipped: "use of man's reason natural; common teaching of Holy Church; inward gracious working of the Holy Ghost";—and last of all, "three properties of God, in which the strength and effect of all the Revelation standeth," "Life, Love and Light."

Alongside these trinities and groups of three, the book’s closing chapters mention other groups of three concerning God and humanity. There are three ways God looks upon us (or expressions on his face): Passion, Compassion, and Bliss. God has three longings: to teach us, to have us, and to fulfill us. People need three things from God in this life: Love, Longing, and Pity. They need "pity in love" to keep them now, and "longing in the same love" to draw them to heaven. There are three things that sustain people in this life and through which God is worshipped: "the use of natural human reason, the common teaching of Holy Church, and the gracious inner work of the Holy Ghost." Finally, there are "three properties of God in which the strength and effect of the whole Revelation lie": "Life, Love and Light."

Again, Julian speaks of things that are double, and this double state seems to be one of imperfection, though she does not explicitly say so. Man's nature, she says, was created "double": "Substance" or Spirit essential from out of the Spirit Divine, and "Sensuality" or spirit related to human senses and making human faculties, intellectual and physical. These two, the Substance and Sense-soul, in their imperfection of union through the frailty of created love (which needs the divine in its might to support it), became partially sundered by the failing of love. "For failing of love on our part, therefore, is all our travail"—from that comes the falling, the dying, and the painful travail between death from sin and life from God—both in the race and the individual. But Christ makes the double into trinity: for Christ is "the Mean [the medium] that keepeth the Substance and Sense-soul together" in his Eternal, Divine-Human Nature, because of His perfect love; and Christ-Incarnate in His Mercy, by this same perfect love brings these two parts anew and more closely together; and Christ uprisen, indwelling in the soul thus united, will keep them forever together, in oneness growing with oneness to Him. Moreover, Man being double also as "soul and body," needs to be "saved from double death," and this salvation, given, is Jesus-Christ, who joined Himself to us in the Incarnation and "yielded us up from the Cross with His Soul and Body into His Father's hands."

Again, Julian speaks of things that are double. This double state seems to be one of imperfection, though she does not explicitly say so. She says that human nature was created "double": "Substance" and "Sensuality". Substance is the essential spirit that comes from the Divine Spirit. Sensuality is the spirit related to the human senses, which forms our intellectual and physical faculties. The union of Substance and Sense-soul was imperfect because created love is frail and needs divine power to support it. When love failed, Substance and Sense-soul became partly separated. "All our struggle comes from the failure of love on our part." From that failure come the fall, death, and the painful struggle between death from sin and life from God. This is true both for humanity as a whole and for each individual. But Christ makes the double into a trinity. Christ is "the means that keeps Substance and Sense-soul together" in his eternal, divine-human nature, because of his perfect love. In his mercy, Christ incarnate uses this same perfect love to bring the two parts together again, more closely than before. The risen Christ dwells in the soul united in this way and will keep the two parts together forever. Their oneness will grow along with their oneness with him. Moreover, a human being is also double as "soul and body" and needs to be "saved from double death." This salvation, once given, is Jesus-Christ. He joined himself to us in the Incarnation and "from the Cross, gave us up with his soul and body into his Father's hands."

In a mere reading of the Book these repeated correspondences may be felt as wearisome, formal, fantastic,—or rather they may seem so when, as here, they are brought together and noted, for Julian herself simply speaks of these different groups as they come in her theme. But when one tries to follow the thought of this book amongst the heights and depths of the things that are seen and temporal and the things unseen and eternal, these likenesses, found in all, seem to afford one guidance and surety of footing, like steps cut out in a steep and difficult path. And as one goes on, and the whole of the meaning takes form, these significations of something all-prevailing give one a partial understanding such as Julian perhaps may have had: the feeling, the "Mind," of a certain half-caught measure in "all things that are," a proportion, a oneness. We are amongst free nature's mountains, but they do not rise haphazard: they shew a strange, a balanced beauty of line and light and shade, as convincing, if not as clear in its intention as the sunrise-lines and colouring of the euphrasy flower at our feet. We hear as we walk the wandering sound of "the vagrant, casual wind," but there is something in its rise and fall, and rising again, that has kinship with the flow and ebb and onrush of the lingering, punctual waves on the shore. Sursum Corda.

Simply reading the Book, one may find these repeated correspondences tiresome, formal, or fanciful. Or rather, they may seem so when they are brought together and noted, as they are here. Julian herself simply speaks of the different groups as they arise in her subject. But the book’s thought moves through the heights and depths of things seen and temporary, and things unseen and eternal. When one tries to follow that thought, these likenesses, found in all things, seem to offer guidance and a sure footing. They are like steps cut into a steep and difficult path. As one continues, the whole meaning takes shape. These signs of something that prevails throughout give one a partial understanding, such as Julian herself may have had. One feels, or has the "Mind," of a partly grasped pattern in "all things that are": a proportion, a oneness. We are among the mountains of free nature, but they do not rise at random. Their lines, light, and shade show a strange, balanced beauty. It is as convincing as the sunrise-like lines and colors of the euphrasy flower at our feet, though its purpose is not as clear. As we walk, we hear the wandering sound of "the vagrant, casual wind." But something in the way it rises, falls, and rises again is akin to the flow, ebb, and onrush of the lingering, punctual waves on the shore. Sursum Corda.