| 80. "Himself is nearest and meekest, highest and lowest, and does all." | ||||
BY three things man stands in this life; by which three God is worshipped, and we be speeded, kept and saved. | ||||
The first is, use of man's Reason natural; the second is, common teaching of Holy Church; the third is, inward gracious working of the Holy Ghost. And these three be all of one God: God is the ground of our natural reason; and God, the teaching of Holy Church; and God is the Holy Ghost. And all be sundry gifts to which He wills that we have great regard, and attend us thereto. For these work in us continually all together; and these be great things. Of which great things He wills that we have knowing here as it were in an A.B.C., that is to say, that we have a little knowing; whereof we shall have fulness in Heaven. And that is for to speed us. | ||||
We know in our Faith that God alone took our nature, and none but He; and furthermore that Christ alone did all the works that belong to our salvation, and none but He; and right so He alone does now the last end: that is to say, He dwells here with us, and rules us and governs us in this living, and brings us to His bliss. And this shall He do as long as any soul is in earth that shall come to heaven, and so far forth that if there were no such soul but one, He should be withal alone till He had brought him up to His bliss. I believe and understand the ministration of angels, as clerks tell us: but it was not showed me. For Himself is nearest and meekest, highest and lowest, and does all. And not only all that we need, but also He does all that is worshipful, to our joy in heaven. | ||||
And where I say that He abides sorrowfully and moaning, it means all the true feeling that we have in our self, in contrition and compassion, and all sorrowing and moaning that we are not united with our Lord. And all such that is speedful, it is Christ in us. And though some of us feel it seldom, it passes never from Christ till what time He has brought us out of all our woe. For love suffers never to be without pity. And what time that we fall into sin and leave the mind of Him and the keeping of our own soul, then keeps Christ alone all the charge; and thus stands He sorrowfully and moaning. | ||||
Then belongs it to us for reverence and kindness to turn us hastily to our Lord and leave Him not alone. He is here alone with us all: that is to say, only for us He is here. And what time I am strange to Him by sin, despair or sloth, then I let my Lord stand alone, in as much as it is in me. And thus it fares with us all which be sinners. But though it be so that we do thus oftentimes, His Goodness suffers us never to be alone, but lastingly He is with us, and tenderly He excuses us, and ever shields us from blame in His sight. | ||||