This [Shewing] I took for the time of my temptation,--for methought by the sufferance of God I should be tempted of fiends ere I died. Through this sight of the blessed Passion, with the Godhead that I saw in mine understanding, I knew well that _It_ was strength enough for me, yea, and for all creatures living, against all the fiends of hell and ghostly temptation. In this [Shewing] He brought our blessed Lady to my understanding. I saw her ghostly, in bodily likeness: a simple maid and a meek, young of age and little waxen above a child, in the stature that she was when she conceived. Also God shewed in part the wisdom and the truth of her soul: wherein I understood the reverent beholding in which she beheld her God and Maker, marvelling with great reverence that He would be born of her that was a simple creature of His making. And this wisdom and truth: knowing the greatness of her Maker and the littleness of herself that was made,--caused her to say full meekly to Gabriel: _Lo me, God's handmaid!_ In this sight[2] I understood soothly that she is more than all that God made beneath her in worthiness and grace; for above her is nothing that is made but the blessed [Manhood][3] of Christ, as to my sight. [1] intermediary--thing or person. See vi., xix., xxxv., lv. [2] Either: _In this sight_--Shewing--_of her;_ or _In this her sight_,--insight--beholding (vii., xliv., lxv.). See Rev. xi. ch. xxv., "For our Lord shewed me nothing in special but our Lady Saint Mary; and her He shewed three times." The first shewing is here (a _sight_ referred to in ch. vii. and elsewhere); the second, in ch. xviii.; the third, in ch. xxv. [3] This word is in S. de Cressy's edition. CHAPTER V "God, of Thy Goodness, give me Thyself;--only in Thee I have all" In this same time our Lord shewed me a spiritual[1] sight of His homely loving. I saw that He is to us everything that is good and comfortable for us: He is our clothing that for love wrappeth us, claspeth us, and all encloseth[2] us for tender love, that He may never leave us; being to us all-thing that is good, as to mine understanding. Also in this He shewed me a little thing, the quantity of an hazel-nut, in the palm of my hand; and it was as round as a ball. I looked thereupon with eye of my understanding, and thought: _What may this be?_ And it was answered generally thus: _it is all that is made._ I marvelled how it might last, for methought it might suddenly have fallen to naught for little[ness]. And I was answered in my understanding: _It lasteth, and ever shall [last] for that God loveth it._ And so All-thing hath the Being by the love of God.