Chapter VII
"The Shewing is not other than of faith, nor less nor more"
AND it was to learn us this, as to my 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 seeing of her Maker so great, so holy, so mighty, and so good. This greatness and this nobleness of the seeing of God fulfilled her with reverent fear, and withal she saw herself so little and so low, so simple and so poor, in regard of her Lord God, that this reverent fear fulfilled her with meekness. And thus, by this ground of meekness she was fulfilled with grace and with all manner of virtues, and passes 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 seeds, seeming as it had come out of the veins; and in the coming out they were brown-red, for the blood was thick; and in the spreadingabroad they were bright-red; and when they came to the brows, then they vanished; despite this, 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: seeds, 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.
This Shewing was quick and life-like, and horrifying and fearful, sweet and lovely. And of all the sight it was most comfort to me that our God and Lord that is so reverend and fearful, is so homely and courteous: and this most fulfilled me with comfort and assuredness of soul.
And to the understanding of this He shewed this open 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 shews it himself, of a true meaning, and with a glad cheer, both privately and in company. Then thinks 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? truly it is more joy and pleasure to me than if he gave me great gifts and were himself strange in manner. 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 fares with our Lord Jesus and with us. For truly 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 truly this marvellous joy shall be shewn us all when we see Him.
And this wills 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, to the time that we see it truly. 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.
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 Spirit. But faith and belief with charity deserves the reward: 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 teaches the same, opened and declared, with many hidden 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 keeps it by grace of the Holy Spirit to 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.