The place that the Lord sat on was simple, on the earth, barren and
desert, alone in wilderness; his clothing was ample and full seemly,
as falleth to a Lord; the colour of his cloth was blue as azure, most
sad and fair, his cheer was merciful; the colour of his face was
fair-brown,--with full seemly features; his eyes were black, most fair
and seemly, shewing [_outward_] full of lovely _pity_, and [shewing],
_within_ him, an high Regard,[7] long and broad, all full of endless
heavens. And the lovely looking wherewith He looked upon His Servant
continually,--and especially in his falling,--methought it might melt
our hearts for love and burst them in two for joy. The fair looking
shewed [itself] of a seemly mingledness which was marvellous to behold:
the one [part] was Ruth and Pity, the other was Joy and Bliss. The
Joy and Bliss passeth as far Ruth and Pity as Heaven is above earth:
the Pity was earthly and the Bliss was heavenly: the Ruth and Pity of
the Father was [in regard] of the falling of Adam, which is His most
loved creature; the Joy and Bliss was [in regard] of His dearworthy
Son, which is even with the Father. The Merciful Beholding of His
Countenance[8] of love fulfilled all earth and descended down with Adam
into hell, with which continuant pity Adam was kept from endless death.
And thus Mercy and Pity dwelleth with mankind unto the time we come up
into Heaven.
But man is blinded in this life and therefore we may not see our
Father, God, as He is. And what time that He of His goodness
willeth to shew Himself to man, He sheweth Himself homely, as man.
Notwithstanding, I reason, in verity[9] we ought to know and believe
that the Father is not man.
But his sitting on the earth barren and desert, is to signify this:--He
made man's soul to be His own City and His dwelling-place: which is
most pleasing to Him of all His works. And what time that man was
fallen into sorrow and pain, he was not all seemly to serve in that
noble office; and therefore our Lord Father would prepare Himself
no other place, but would sit upon the earth abiding mankind, which
is mingled with earth, till what time by His grace His dearworthy
Son had brought again His City into the noble fairness with His hard
travail. The blueness of the clothing betokeneth His steadfastness; the
brownness of his fair face, with the seemly blackness of the eyes, was
most accordant to shew His holy soberness. The length and breadth of
his garments, which were fair, flaming about, betokeneth that He hath,
beclosed in Him, all Heavens, and all Joy and Bliss:[10] and this was
shewed in a touch [of time], where I have said: _Mine understanding
was led into the Lord_; in which [inward shewing] I saw Him highly
_rejoice_ for the worshipful restoring that He will and shall bring His
servant to by His plenteous grace.
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