For, twenty years after the time of the Shewing, save three months,
I had teaching inwardly, as I shall tell: _It belongeth to thee to
take heed to all the properties and conditions that were shewed in the
example, though thou think that they be misty and indifferent[5] to thy
sight_. I assented willingly, with great desire, and inwardly [beheld]
with heedfulness[6] all the points and properties that were shewed in
the same time, as far forth as my wits and understanding would serve:
beginning my beholding at the Lord and at the Servant, and the manner
of sitting of the Lord, and the place that he sat on, and the colour of
his clothing and the manner of shape, and his countenance without, and
his nobleness and his goodness within; at the manner of standing of the
Servant, and the place where, and how; at his manner of clothing, the
colour and the shape; at his outward having and at his inward goodness
and his unloathfulness.
The Lord that sat stately in rest and in peace, I understood that He is
God. The Servant that stood afore the Lord, I understood that it was
shewed for Adam: that is to say, one man was shewed, that time, and his
falling, to make it thereby understood how God beholdeth All-Man and
his falling. For in the sight of God all man is one man, and one man
is all man. This man was hurt in his might and made full feeble; and
he was stunned in his understanding so that he [was] turned from the
beholding of his Lord. But his will was kept whole in God's sight;--for
his will I saw our Lord commend and approve. But himself was letted and
blinded from the knowing of this will; and this is to him great sorrow
and grievous distress: for neither doth he see clearly his loving Lord,
which is to him full meek and mild, nor doth he see truly what himself
is in the sight of his loving Lord. And well I wot when these two are
wisely and truly seen, we shall get rest and peace here in part, and
the fulness of the bliss of Heaven, by His plenteous grace.
And this was a beginning of teaching which I saw in the same time,
whereby I might come to know in what manner He beholdeth us in our sin.
And then I saw that only Pain blameth and punisheth, and our courteous
Lord comforteth and sorroweth; and ever He is to the soul in glad
Cheer, loving, and longing to bring us to His bliss.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account