CHAPTER I
A Revelation of Love”in Sixteen Shewings
THIS is a Revelation of Love that Jesus Christ, our endless bliss, made in
Sixteen Shewings, or Revelations particular.
Of the which the First is of His precious crowning with thorns; and
therewith was comprehended and specified the Trinity, with the Incarnation,
and unity betwixt God and mans soul; with many fair shewings of endless
wisdom and teachings of love: in which all the Shewings that follow be
grounded and oned. [1]
The Second is the changing of colour of His fair face in token of His
dearworthy [2] Passion.
The Third is that our Lord God, Allmighty Wisdom, All-Love, right as verily
as He hath made everything that is, all-so verily He doeth and worketh
all-thing that is done.
The Fourth is the scourging of His tender body, with plenteous shedding of
His blood.
The Fifth is that the Fiend is overcome by the precious Passion of Christ.
The Sixth is the worshipful [3] thanking by our Lord
God in which He rewardeth His blessed servants in Heaven.
The Seventh is [our] often feeling of weal and woe; (the feeling of weal is
gracious touching and lightening, with true assuredness of endless joy; the
feeling of woe is temptation by heaviness and irksomeness of our fleshly
living ;) with ghostly understanding that we are kept all as securely in
Love in woe as in weal, by the Goodness of God.
The Eighth is of the last pains of Christ, and His cruel dying.
The Ninth is of the pleasing which is in the Blissful Trinity by the hard
Passion of Christ and His rueful dying: in which joy and pleasing He willeth
that we be solaced and mirthed [4] with Him, till when we come to the
fulness in Heaven.
The Tenth is, our Lord Jesus sheweth in love His blissful heart even cloven
in two, rejoicing.
The Eleventh is an high ghostly Shewing of His dearworthy Mother.
The Twelfth is that our Lord is most worthy Being.
The Thirteenth is that our Lord God willeth we have great regard to all the
deeds that He hath done: in the great nobleness of the making of all things;
and the excellency of mans making, which is above all his works; and the
precious Amends [5] that He hath made for mans sin, turning all our blame
into endless worship. [6] In which Shewing also our Lord saith: Behold and
see! For by the same Might, Wisdom, and Goodness that I have done all this,
by the same Might, Wisdom, and Goodness I shall
make well all that is not well; and thou shalt see it. And in this He
willeth that we keep us in the Faith and truth of Holy Church, not desiring
to see into His secret things now, save as it belongeth to us in this life.
The Fourteenth is that our Lord is the Ground of our Prayer. Herein were
seen two properties: the one is rightful prayer, the other is steadfast
trust; which He willeth should both be alike large; and thus our prayer
pleaseth Him and He of His Goodness fulfilleth it.
The Fifteenth is that we shall suddenly be taken from all our pain and from
all our woe, and of His Goodness we shall come up above, where we shall have
our Lord Jesus for our meed and be fulfilled with joy and bliss in Heaven.
The Sixteenth is that the Blissful Trinity, our Maker, in Christ Jesus our
Saviour, endlessly dwelleth in our soul, worshipfully ruling and protecting
all things, us mightily and wisely saving and keeping, for love; and we
shall not be overcome of our Enemy.
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[1] made one, united.
[2] precious, honoured.
[3] honour-bestowing.
[4] made glad.
[5] MS. "Asseth" = Satisfaction, making-enough.
[6] honour, glory.
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CHAPTER II
A simple creature unlettered.”Which creature afore desired three gifts of
God
THESE Revelations were shewed to a simple creature unlettered, [7] the year
of our Lord 1373, the Thirteenth day of May. Which creature [had] afore
desired three gifts of God. The First was mind of His Passion; the Second
was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years
of age; the Third was to have of Gods gift three wounds.
As to the First, methought I had some feeling in the Passion of Christ, but
yet I desired more by the grace of God. Methought I would have been that
time with Mary Magdalene, and with other that were Christs lovers, and
therefore I desired a bodily sight wherein I might have more knowledge of
the bodily pains of our Saviour and of the compassion of our Lady and of all
His true lovers that saw, that time, His pains. For I would be one of them
and suffer with Him. Other sight nor shewing of God desired I never none,
till the soul were disparted from the body. The cause of this petition was
that after the shewing I should have the more true mind in the Passion of
Christ.
The Second came to my mind with contrition; [I] freely desiring that
sickness [to be] so hard as to death, that I might in that sickness receive
all my rites of Holy Church, myself thinking that I should die, and that all
creatures might suppose the same that saw me: for I would have no manner of
comfort of earthly life. In this sickness I desired to have all manner of
pains bodily and ghostly that I should have if I should die, (with all the
dreads and tempests of the fiends) except the outpassing of the soul. And
this I meant [8] for [that] I would be purged, by the mercy of God, and
afterward live more to the worship of God because of that sickness. And that
for the more furthering [9] in my death: for I desired to be soon with my
God.
These two desires of the Passion and the sickness I desired with a
condition, saying thus: Lord, Thou knowest
what I would,”if it be Thy will that I have it”; and if it be not Thy will,
good Lord, be not displeased: for I will nought but as Thou wilt.
For the Third [petition], by the grace of God and teaching of Holy Church I
conceived a mighty desire to receive three wounds in my life: that is to
say, the wound of very contrition, the wound of kind compassion, [10] and
the wound of steadfast [11] longing toward God. [12] And all this last
petition I asked without any condition.
These two desires aforesaid passed from my mind, but the third dwelled with
me continually.
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[7] that cowde no letter = unskilled in letters.
[8] thought of, designed.
[9] MS.. "speed."
[10] i.e. natural.
[11] MS. "wilful"=earnest, with set will.
[12] For these wounds see xvii. p. 40, xxvii. p. 56, xxviii., lxxii. and
xxxix.
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CHAPTER III
I desired to suffer with Him
AND when I was thirty years old and a half, God sent me a bodily sickness,
in which I lay three days and three nights; and on the fourth night I took
all my rites of Holy Church, and weened not to have lived till day. And
after this I languored forth [13] two days and two nights, and on the third
night I weened oftentimes to have passed; [14] and so weened they that were
with me.
And being in youth as yet, I thought it great sorrow to die;”but for nothing
that was in earth that meliked to live for, nor for no pain that I had fear
of: for I
trusted in God of His mercy. But it was to have lived that I might have
loved God better, and longer time, that I might have the more knowing and
loving of God in bliss of Heaven. For methought all the time that I had
lived here so little and so short in regard of that endless bliss,”I thought
[it was as] nothing. Wherefore I thought: Good Lord, may my living no longer
be to Thy worship! [15] And I understood by my reason and by my feeling of
my pains that I should die; and I assented fully with all the will of my
heart to be at Gods will.
Thus I dured till day, and by then my body was dead from the middle
downwards, as to my feeling. Then was I minded to be set upright, backward
leaning, with help,”for to have more freedom of my heart to be at Gods
will, and thinking on God while my life would last.
My Curate was sent for to be at my ending, and by that time when he came I
had set my eyes, and might [16] not speak. He set the Cross before my face
and said: I have brought thee the Image of thy Master and Saviour: look
thereupon and comfort thee therewith.
Methought I was well [as it was], for my eyes were set uprightward unto
Heaven, where I trusted to come by the mercy of God; but nevertheless I
assented to set my eyes on the face of the Crucifix, if I might; and so I
did. For methought I might [17] longer dure to look evenforth [18] than
right up.
After this my sight began to fail, and it was all dark about me in the
chamber, as if it had been night, save in
the Image of the Cross whereon I beheld a common light; and I wist not how.
All that was away from [19] the Cross was of horror to me, as if it had been
greatly occupied by the fiends.
After this the upper [20] part of my body began to die, so far forth that
scarcely I had any feeling;”with shortness of breath. And then I weened in
sooth to have passed.
And in this [moment] suddenly all my pain was taken from me, and I was as
whole (and specially in the upper part of my body) as ever I was afore.
I marvelled at this sudden change; for methought it was a privy working of
God, and not of nature. And yet by the feeling of this ease I trusted never
the more to live; nor was the feeling of this ease any full ease unto me:
for methought I had liefer have been delivered from this world.
Then came suddenly to my mind that I should desire the second wound of our
Lords gracious gift: that my body might be fulfilled with mind and feeling
of His blessed Passion. For I would that His pains were my pains, with
compassion and afterward longing to God. But in this I desired never bodily
sight nor shewing of God, but compassion such as a kind [21] soul might have
with our Lord Jesus, that for love would be a mortal man: and therefore I
desired to suffer with Him.
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[13] "I langorid forth"=languished on.
[14] I thought often that I was about to die.
[15] Or it may be, as in de Cressy's version: May my living be no longer to
Thy worship?
[16] i.e. could.
[17] i.e. could.
[18] straight forward.
[19] MS. "beside."
[20] MS. "over."
[21] "kinde," true to its nature that was made after the likeness of the
Creating Son of God, the type and the Head of Mankind, -- therefore loving,
and sympathetic with Him, and compassionate of His earthly sufferings: Who,
Himself, for Love's sake, suffered as man.
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THE FIRST REVELATION
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CHAPTER IV
I saw . . . as it were in the time of His Passion . . . And in the same
Shewing suddenly the Trinity filled my heart with utmost joy
IN this [moment] suddenly I saw the red blood trickle down from under the
Garland hot and freshly and right plenteously, as it were in the time of His
Passion when the Garland of thorns was pressed on His blessed head who was
both God and Man, the same that suffered thus for me. I conceived truly and
mightily that it was Himself shewed it me, without any mean. [22]
And in the same Shewing suddenly the Trinity fulfilled my heart most of joy.
And so I understood it shall be in heaven without end to all that shall come
there. For the Trinity is God: God is the Trinity; the Trinity is our Maker
and Keeper, the Trinity is our everlasting love and everlasting joy and
bliss, by our Lord Jesus Christ. And this was shewed in the First [Shewing]
and in all: for where Jesus appeareth, the blessed Trinity is understood, as
to my sight.
And I said: Benedicite Domine! This I said for reverence in my meaning, with
mighty voice; and full greatly was astonied for wonder and marvel that I
had, that He that is so reverend and dreadful will be so homely with a
sinful creature living in wretched flesh.
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, Gods handmaid! In this sight 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 [23] Of Christ, as to my sight. [24]
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[22] intermediary -- thing or person. See vi, xix., xxxv., lv.
[23] 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..
[24] This word is in S. de Cressy's edition.
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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 [25] 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 [26]
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.
In this Little Thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it,
the second is that God loveth it, the third, that God keepeth it. But what
is to me verily the Maker, the Keeper, and the Lover,”I cannot tell; for
till I am Substantially oned [27] to Him, I may never have full rest nor
very bliss: that is to say, till I be so fastened to Him, that there is
right nought that is made betwixt my God and me.
It needeth us to have knowing of the littleness of creatures and to hold as
nought [28] all-thing that is made, for to love and have God that is unmade.
For this is the cause why we be not all in ease of heart and soul: that we
seek here rest in those things that are so little, wherein is no rest, and
know not our God that is All-mighty, All-wise, All-good. For He is the Very
Rest. God willeth to be known, and it pleaseth Him that we rest in Him; for
all that is beneath Him sufficeth not us. And this is the cause why that no
soul is rested till it is made nought [29] as to all things that are made.
When it is willingly made nought, for love, to have Him that is all, then is
it able to receive spiritual rest.
Also our Lord God shewed that it is full great pleasance to Him that a
helpless soul come to Him simply and plainly and homely. For this is the
natural yearnings of the soul, by the touching of the Holy Ghost (as by the
understanding that I have in this Shewing): God, of Thy Goodness, give me
Thyself: for Thou art enough to me, and I may nothing ask that is less that
may be full worship to Thee; and if I ask anything that is less, ever me
wanteth,”but only in Thee I have all.
And these words are full lovely to the soul, and full near touch they the
will of God and His Goodness. For His Goodness comprehendeth all His
creatures and all His blessed works, and overpasseth [30] without end. For
He is the endlessness, and He hath made us only to Himself, and restored us
by His blessed Passion, and keepeth us in His blessed love; and all this of
His Goodness.
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[25] MS. "ghostly," and so, generally, throughout the MS.
[26] "Becloseth" and so generally.
[27] i.e.in essence united.
[28] "to nowtyn."
[29] "nowtid of." de Cressy: "naughted (emptied)."
[30] surpasseth.
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CHAPTER VI
The Goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to the lowest
part of our need
THIS Shewing was made to learn our soul wisely to cleave to the Goodness of
God.
And in that time the custom of our praying was brought to mind: how we use
for lack of understanding and knowing of Love, to take many means [whereby
to beseech Him]. [31]
Then saw I truly that it is more worship to God, and more very delight, that
we faithfully [32] pray to Himself of His Goodness and cleave thereunto by
His Grace, with true understanding, and steadfast by love, than if we took
all the means that heart can think. For if we took all these means, it is
too little, and not full worship to God: but in His Goodness is all the
whole, and there faileth right nought.
For this, as I shall tell, came to my mind in the same time: We pray to God
for [the sake of] His holy flesh and His precious blood, His holy Passion,
His dearworthy
death and wounds: and all the blessed kindness, [33] the endless life that
we have of all this, is His Goodness. And we pray Him for [the sake of] His
sweet Mothers love that Him bare; and all the help we have of her is of His
Goodness. And we pray by His holy Cross that he died on, and all the virtue
and the help that we have of the Cross, it is of His Goodness. And on the
same wise, all the help that we have of special saints and all the blessed
Company of Heaven, the dearworthy love and endless friendship that we have
of them, it is of His Goodness. For God of His Goodness hath ordained means
to help us, full fair and many: of which the chief and principal mean is the
blessed nature that He took of the Maid, with all the means that go afore
and come after which belong to our redemption and to endless salvation.
Wherefore it pleaseth Him that we seek Him and worship through means,
understanding that He is the Goodness of all.
For the Goodness of God is the highest prayer, and it cometh down to the
lowest part of our need. It quickeneth our soul and bringeth it on life, and
maketh it for to waxen in grace and virtue. It is nearest in nature; and
readiest in grace: for it is the same grace that the soul seeketh, and ever
shall seek till we know verily that He hath us all in Himself enclosed.
For He hath no despite of that He hath made, nor hath He any disdain to
serve us at the simplest office that to our body belongeth in nature, for
love of the soul that He hath made to His own likeness.
For as the body is clad in the cloth, and the flesh in the skin, and the
bones in the flesh, and the heart in the
whole, [34] so are we, soul and body, clad in the Goodness of God, and
enclosed. Yea, and more homely: for all these may waste and wear away, but
the Goodness of God is ever whole; and more near to us, without any
likeness; for truly our Lover desireth that our soul cleave to Him with all
its might, and that we be evermore cleaving to His Goodness. For of all
things that heart may think, this pleaseth most God, and soonest speedeth
[the soul].
For our soul is so specially loved of Him that is highest, that it
overpasseth the knowing of all creatures: that is to say, there is no
creature that is made that may [fully] know [35] how much and how sweetly
and how tenderly our Maker loveth us. And therefore we may with grace and
His help stand in spiritual beholding, with everlasting marvel of this high,
overpassing, inestimable [36] Love that Almighty God hath to us of His
Goodness. And therefore we may ask of our Lover with reverence all that we
will.
For our natural [37] Will is to have God, and the Good Will of God is to
have us; and we may never cease from willing nor from longing till we have
Him in fullness of joy: and then may we no more desire.
For He willeth that we be occupied in knowing and loving till the time that
we shall be fulfilled in Heaven; and therefore was this lesson of Love
shewed, with all that followeth, as ye shall see. For the strength and the
Ground of all was shewed in the First Sight. For
of all things the beholding and the loving of the Maker maketh the soul to
seem less in his own sight, and most filleth him with reverent dread and
true meekness; with plenty of charity to his even-Christians.
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[31] MS. To make many menys. So in Letter 385 of The Paston
Letters,1422-1509 A.D. -- Our Soverayn Lord hath wonne the feld, and uppon
the Munday next after Palmesunday, he was resseved in York with gret
solempnyte and processyons. And the Mair and Comons of the said cite mad
ther menys to have grace be by Lord Montagu and Lord Barenars, which be for
the Kyngs coming in to the said cite, which graunted hem [them] grace."
Letter 472 (from Margaret Paston).-- " Your ryth wele willers have kounselyd
me that I xuld kownsell you to maken other menys than ye have made, to other
folks, that wold spede your matyrs better than they have done thatt ye have
spoken to therof" (ed by James Gairdner, vol. i.). See ch. iv, p. 8.
[32] i.e. trustingly.
[33] bond as of relationship.
[34] "the bouke"=the bulk, the thorax.
[35] "witten."
[36] or, as in S. de Cressy, "unmeasurable." The word, however, looks like
"oninestimable " with the "on " blotted or erased.
[37] "kindly."
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CHAPTER VII
The Shewing is not other than of faith, nor less nor more
AND [it was] to learn us this, as to mine 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 beholding of her Maker so great, so holy, so mighty,
and so good. This greatness and this nobleness of the beholding of God
fulfilled her with reverent dread, and withal she saw herself so little and
so low, so simple and so poor, in regard of [38] her Lord God, that this
reverent dread fulfilled her with meekness. And thus, by this ground [of
meekness] she was fulfilled with grace and with all manner of virtues, and
overpasseth 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 pellots, seeming
as it had come out of the veins; and in the coming out they were brown-red,
for the blood was full
thick; and in the spreading-abroad they were bright-red; and when they came
to the brows, then they vanished; notwithstanding, 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: pellots, 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 dreadful, sweet and
lovely. And of all the sight it was most comfort to me that our God and Lord
that is so reverend and dreadful, 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 sheweth it
himself, of a full true meaning, and with a glad cheer, both privately and
in company. Then thinketh 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? Soothly it is more joy and pleasance to me than [if]
he gave me great gifts and were himself strange in manner. This bodily
example was shewed so highly that mans
heart might be ravished and almost forgetting itself for joy of the great
homeliness. Thus it fareth with our Lord Jesus and with us. For verily 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 verily this marvellous joy shall be shewn us all
when we see Him.
And this willeth 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,
unto the time that we see it verily. 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 Ghost. But faith and belief with charity
deserveth the meed: 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 teacheth the same, opened and declared, with many privy 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 keepeth [it] by
grace of the Holy Ghost unto our lifes end. And thus through the Shewing it
is not other than of faith, nor less nor more; as it may be seen in our
Lords teaching in the same matter, by that time that it shall come to the
end.
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[38] i.e. seen at the same time as, or in comparison with. See the note to
ch. iv. p. 9.
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CHAPTER VIII
In all this I was greatly stirred in charity to my fellow-Christians that
they might see and know the same that I saw
AND as long as I saw this sight of the plenteous bleeding of the Head I
might never cease from these words: Benedicite Domine!
In which Shewing I understood six things:”The first is, the tokens of the
blessed Passion and the plenteous shedding of His precious blood. The second
is, the Maiden that is His dearworthy Mother. The third is, the blissful
Godhead that ever was, is, and ever shall be: Almighty, All-Wisdom,
All-Love. The fourth is, all-thing that He hath made.”For well I wot that
heaven and earth and all that is made is great and large, fair and good; but
the cause why it shewed so little to my sight was for that I saw it in the
presence of Him that is the Maker of all things: for to a soul that seeth
the Maker of all, all that is made seemeth full little.”The fifth is: He
that made all things for love, by the same love keepeth them, and shall keep
them [39] without end. The sixth is, that God is all that is good, as to my
sight, and the goodness that each thing hath, it is He. [40]
And all these our Lord shewed me in the first Sight, with time and space to
behold it. And the bodily sight stinted, [41] but the spiritual sight
dwelled in mine understanding,
and I abode with reverent dread, joying in that I saw. And I desired, as I
durst, to see more, if it were His will, or else [to see for] longer time
the same.
In all this I was greatly stirred in charity to mine even-Christians, that
they might see and know the same that I saw: for I would it were comfort to
them. For all this Sight was shewed [with] general [regard]. Then said I to
them that were about me: It is to-day Doomsday with me. And this I said for
that I thought to have died. (For that day that a man dieth, he is judged
[42] as shall be without end, as to mine understanding.) This I said for
that I would they might love God the better, for to make them to have in
mind that this life is short, as they might see in example. For in all this
time I weened to have died; and that was marvel to me, and troublous partly:
for methought this Vision was shewed for them that should live. And that
which l say of me, I say in the person of all mine even-Christians: for I am
taught in the Spiritual Shewing of our Lord God that He meaneth so. And
therefore I pray you all for Gods sake, and counsel you for your own
profit, that ye leave the beholding of a poor creature [43] that it was
shewed to, and mightily, wisely, and meekly behold God that of His courteous
love and endless goodness would shew it generally, in comfort of us all. For
it is Gods will that ye take it with great joy and pleasance, as if Jesus
had shewed it to you all.
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[39] "it is kept, and shall be."
[40] "God is althing that is gode, as to my sight, and the godenes that al
thing hath, it is he."
[41] .i.e. ceased.
[42] "deemed."
[43] a wretch.
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CHAPTER IX
If I look singularly to myself, I am right nought
BECAUSE of the Shewing I am not good but if I love God the better: and in as
much as ye love God the better, it is more to you than to me. I say [44] not
this to them that be wise, for they wot it well; but I say it to you that be
simple, for ease and comfort: for we are all one in comfort. For truly it
was not shewed me that God loved me better than the least soul that is in
grace; for I am certain that there be many that never had Shewing nor sight
but of the common teaching of Holy Church, that love God better than I. For
if I look singularly to myself, I am right nought; but in [the] general
[Body] I am, I hope, in oneness of charity with all mine even-Christians.
For in this oneness standeth the life of all mankind that shall be saved.
For God is all that is good, as to my sight, and God hath made all that is
made, and God loveth all that He hath made: and he that loveth generally all
his even-Christians for God, he loveth all that is. For in mankind that
shall be saved is comprehended all: that is to say, all that is made and the
Maker of all. For in man is God, and God is in all. And I hope by the grace
of God he that beholdeth it thus shall be truly taught and mightily
comforted, if he needeth comfort.
I speak of them that shall be saved, for in this time God shewed me none
other. But in all things I believe as Holy Church believeth, preacheth, and
teacheth. For
the Faith of Holy Church, the which I had aforehand understood and, as I
hope, by the grace of God earnestly kept in use and custom, stood
continually in my sight: [I] willing and meaning never to receive anything
that might be contrary thereunto. And with this intent I beheld the Shewing
with all my diligence: for in all this blessed Shewing I beheld it as one in
Gods meaning. [45]
All this was shewed by three [ways]: that is to say, by bodily sight, and by
word formed in mine understanding, and by spiritual sight. But the spiritual
sight I cannot nor may not shew it as openly nor as fully as I would. But I
trust in our Lord God Almighty that He shall of His goodness, and for your
love, make you to take it more spiritually and more sweetly than I can or
may tell it.
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[44] "sey" = say or tell.
[45] The teaching of the Faith and the teaching of the special Shewing were
both from God and were seen to be at one.
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THE SECOND REVELATION
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CHAPTER X
God willeth to be seen and to be sought: to be abided and to be trusted
AND after this I saw with bodily sight in the face of the crucifix that hung
before me, on the which I gazed continually, a part of His Passion: despite,
spitting and sullying, and buffetting, and many languoring pains, more than
I can tell, and often changing of colour. And one time I saw half the face,
beginning at
the ear, over-gone with dry blood till it covered to the mid-face. And after
that the other half [was] covered on the same wise, the whiles in this
[first] part [it vanished] even as it came.
This saw I bodily, troublously and darkly; and I desired more bodily sight,
to have seen more clearly. And I was answered in my reason: If God will shew
thee more, He shall be thy light: thee needeth none but Him. For I saw Him
sought. [46]
For we are now so blind and unwise that we never seek God till He of His
goodness shew Himself to us. And when we aught see of Him graciously, then
are we stirred by the same grace to seek with great desire to see Him more
blissfully.
And thus I saw Him, and sought Him; and I had Him, I wanted Him. And this
is, and should be, our common working in this [life], as to my sight.
One time mine understanding was led down into the sea-ground, and there I
saw hills and dales green, seeming as it were moss-be-grown, with wrack and
gravel. Then I understood thus: that if a man or woman were under the broad
water, if he might have sight of God so as God is with a man continually, he
should be safe in body and soul, and take no harm: and overpassing, he
should have more solace and comfort than all this world can tell. For He
willeth we should believe [47] that we see Him continually though that to us
it seemeth but little [of sight]; and in this belief He maketh us evermore
to gain grace. For He will be seen and He will be sought: He will be abided
and he will be trusted.
This Second Shewing was so low and so little and so simple, that my spirits
were in great travail in the beholding,”mourning, full of dread, and
longing: for I was some time in doubt whether it was a Shewing. And then
diverse times our good Lord gave me more sight, whereby I understood truly
that it was a Shewing. It was a figure and likeness of our foul deeds shame
that our fair, bright, blessed Lord bare for our sins: it made me to think
of the Holy Vernacle [47] at Rome, which He hath portrayed with His own
blessed face when He was in His hard Passion, with steadfast will going to
His death, and often changing of colour. Of the brownness and blackness, the
ruefulness and wastedness of this Image many marvel how it might be, since
that He portrayed it with His blessed Face who is the fairness of heaven,
flower of earth, and the fruit of the Maidens womb. Then how might this
Image be so darkening in colour [48] and so far from fair?”I desire to tell
like as I have understood by the grace of God:”
We know in our Faith, and believe by the teaching and preaching of Holy
Church, that the blessed Trinity made Mankind [49] to His image and to His
likeness. In the same manner-wise we know that when man fell so deep and so
wretchedly by sin, there was none other help to restore man but through Him
that made man. And He that made man for love, by the same love He would
restore man to the same bliss, and overpassing; and like as we were
like-made to the Trinity in our first making, our Maker would that we should
be like Jesus Christ, Our Saviour, in heaven without end, by the virtue of
our again-making.
Then atwix these two, He would for love and worship of man make Himself as
like to man in this deadly life, in our foulness and our wretchedness, as
man might be without guilt. This is that which is meant where it is said
afore: it was the image and likeness of our foul black deeds shame wherein
our fair, bright, blessed Lord God was hid. But full certainly I dare say,
and we ought to trow it, that so fair a man was never none but He, till what
time His fair colour was changed with travail and sorrow and Passion and
dying. Of this it is spoken in the Eighth Revelation, where it treateth more
of the same likeness. And where it speaketh of the Vernacle of Rome, it
meaneth by [reason of] diverse changing of colour and countenance, sometime
more comfortably and life-like, sometime more ruefully and death-like, as it
may be seen in the Eighth Revelation.
And this [dim] vision was a learning, to mine understanding, that the
continual seeking of the soul pleaseth God full greatly: for it may do no
more than seek, suffer and trust. And this is wrought in the soul that hath
it, by the Holy Ghost; and the clearness of finding, it is of His special
grace, when it is His will. The seeking, with faith, hope, and charity,
pleaseth our Lord, and the finding pleaseth the soul and fulfilleth it with
joy. And thus was I learned, to mine understanding, that seeking is as good
as beholding, for the time that He will suffer the soul to be in travail. It
is Gods will that we seek Him, to the beholding of Him, for by that [50] He
shall shew us Himself of His special grace when He will. And how a soul
shall have Him in its beholding, He shall
teach Himself: and that is most worship to Him and profit to thyself, and
[the soul thus] most receiveth of meekness and virtues with the grace and
leading of the Holy Ghost. For a soul that only fasteneth it[self] on to God
with very trust, either by seeking or in beholding, it is the most worship
that it may do to Him, as to my sight.
These are two workings that may be seen in this Vision: the one is seeking,
the other is beholding. The seeking is common,”that every soul may have with
His grace,”and ought to have that discretion and teaching of the Holy
Church. It is Gods will that we have three things in our seeking:”The first
is that we seek earnestly and diligently, without sloth, and, as it may be
through His grace, without unreasonable [51] heaviness and vain sorrow. The
second is, that we abide Him steadfastly for His love, without murmuring and
striving against Him, to our lifes end: for it shall last but awhile. The
third is that we trust in Him mightily of full assured faith. For it is His
will that we know that He shall appear suddenly and blissfully to all that
love Him.
For His working is privy, and He willeth to be perceived; and His appearing
shall be swiftly sudden; and He willeth to be trusted. For He is full
gracious and homely: Blessed may He be!
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[46] In de Cressy's version: "I saw Him and sought Him."
[47] wetyn = wit.
[47] The Handkerchief of St. Veronica.
[48] "so discolouring."
[49] i.e., according to.
[50] "for be that" = for by [means of] that; or possibly the Old English and
Scottish 'forbye that'=besides that.
[51] "onskilful"=without discernment or ability; unpractical. S. de Cressy,
"unreasonable."
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THE THIRD REVELATION
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CHAPTER XI
All thing that is done, it is well done: for
our Lord God doeth all.Sin
is no deed
AND after this I saw God in a Point, [52] that is to say, in mine
understanding,”by which sight I saw that He is in all things.
I beheld and considered, seeing and knowing in sight, with a soft dread, and
thought: What is sin?
For I saw truly that God doeth all-thing, be it never so little. And I saw
truly that nothing is done by hap nor by adventure, but all things by the
foreseeing wisdom of God: if it be hap or adventure in the sight of man, our
blindness and our unforesight is the cause. For the things that are in the
foreseeing wisdom of God from without beginning, (which rightfully and
worshipfully and continually He leadeth to the best end,) as they come about
fall to us suddenly, ourselves unwitting; and thus by our blindness and our
unforesight we say: these be haps and adventures. But to our Lord God they
be not so.
Wherefore me behoveth needs to grant that all-thing that is done, it is
well-done: for our Lord God doeth all. For in this time the working of
creatures was not shewed, but [the working] of our Lord God in the creature:
for He is in the Mid-point of all thing, and all He doeth. And I was certain
He doeth no sin.
And here I saw verily that sin is no deed: for in all this was not sin
shewed. And I would no longer marvel in this, but beheld our Lord, what He
would shew.
And thus, as much as it might be for the time, the rightfulness of Gods
working was shewed to the soul.
Rightfulness hath two fair properties: it is right and it is full. And so
are all the works of our Lord God: thereto needeth neither the working of
mercy nor grace: for they be all rightful: wherein faileth nought.
But in another time He gave a Shewing for the beholding of sin nakedly, as I
shall tell: where He useth working of mercy and grace.
And this vision was shewed, to mine understanding, for that our Lord would
have the soul turned truly unto
the beholding of Him, and generally of all His works. For they are full
good; and all His doings are easy and sweet, and to great ease bringing the
soul that is turned from the beholding of the blind Deeming of man unto the
fair sweet Deeming of our Lord God. For a man beholdeth some deeds well done
and some deeds evil, but our Lord beholdeth them not so: for as all that
hath being in nature is of Godly making, so is all that is done, in property
of Gods doing. For it is easy to understand that the best deed is well
done: and so well as the best deed is done”the highest”so well is the least
deed done; and all thing in its property and in the order that our Lord hath
ordained it to from without beginning. For there is no doer but He.
I saw full surely that he changeth never His purpose in no manner of thing,
nor never shall, without end. For there was no thing unknown to Him in His
rightful ordinance from without beginning. And therefore all-thing was set
in order ere anything was made, as it should stand without end; and no
manner of thing shall fail of that point. For He made all things in fulness
of goodness, and therefore the blessed Trinity is ever full pleased in all
His works. [53]
And all this shewed He full blissfully, signifying thus: See! I am God: see!
I am in all thing: see! I do all thing: see! I lift never mine hands off my
works, nor ever shall, without end: see! I lead all thing to the end I
ordained it to from without beginning, by the same Might, Wisdom and Love
whereby I made it. How should any thing be amiss?
Thus mightily, wisely, and lovingly was the soul
examined in this Vision. Then saw I soothly that me behoved, of need, to
assent, with great reverence enjoying in God.
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[52] See below: " He is in the Mid-point," and lxiii. p. 158, " the blessed
Point from which nature came: that is, God." See also xxi. p. 45, "Where is
now any point of thy pain?" (least part) and xxi. p. 46, " abiding unto the
last point"; and lxiv. p. 161, "set the point of our thought." These uses of
the word may be compared with the following: -- From the Banquet of Dante
Alighieri; tr. by K. Hillard (Kegan Paul, Trench and Co.), Bk. II xiv. 12
"Geometry moves between the point and the circle"; as Euclid says, " the
point is the beginning of Geometry, and according to him, the circle is the
most perfect figure, and therefore may be considered its end.... The point
by reason of its indivisibility is immeasurable, and the circle by reason of
its arc cannot be exactly squared, and therefore cannot be measured with
precision." Notes by Miss Hillard: "This is why the Deity is represented by
a point." Paradiso, xxviii. 16: 'A point beheld I,' 'Heaven and all nature,
hangs upon that point,' etc. Bk. IV, 6, quoting Aristotle's Physics: "The
circle can be called perfect when it is a true circle. And this is when it
contains a point which is equally distant from every part of its
circumference" In the Vita Nuova Love appearing, says -- "I am as the centre
of a circle, to which all parts of the circumference bear an equal relation'
('Amor che muove il sole e l'altre stelle'.)" From Neoplatonism, by C. Bigg,
D.D. (S.P.C.K.), p. 122: "Thus we get a triplet -- Soul, Intelligence, and a
higher Intelligence. The last is spoken of as One, as a point, as neither
good nor evil because above both."
[53] On this subject, with the "Two Deemings" and "the Godly Will," see
xlv., xxxv., xxxvii., lxxxii.
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THE FOURTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XII
The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most
precious, so verily it is most plenteous
AND after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in seeming of
[54] the Scourging, as thus:”The fair skin was broken full deep into the
tender flesh with sharp smiting all about the sweet body. So plenteously the
hot blood ran out that there was neither seen skin nor wound, but as it were
all blood. And when it came where it should have fallen down, then it
vanished. Notwithstanding, the bleeding continued awhile: till it might be
seen and considered. [55] And this was so plenteous, to my sight, that
methought if it had been so in kind [56] and in substance at that time, it
should have made the bed all one blood, and have passed over about.
And then came to my mind that God hath made waters plenteous in earth to our
service and to our bodily ease for tender love that He hath to us, but yet
liketh Him better that we take full homely His blessed blood to wash us of
sin: for there is no water [57] that is made that He liketh so well to give
us. For it is most plenteous
as it is most precious: and that by the virtue of His blessed Godhead; and
it is [of] our Kind, and all-blissfully belongeth to us by the virtue of His
precious love.
The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most
precious, so verily it is most plenteous. Behold and see! The precious
plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell and burst her bands
and delivered all that were there which belonged to the Court of Heaven. The
precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all Earth, and is ready
to wash all creatures of sin, which be of goodwill, have been, and shall be.
The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood ascended up into Heaven to the
blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there is in Him, bleeding and
praying for us to the Father,”and is, and shall be as long as it
needeth;”and ever shall be as long as it needeth. And evermore it floweth in
all Heavens enjoying the salvation of all mankind, that are there, and shall
be”fulfilling the number [58] that faileth.
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[54] i.e. as it were from.
[55] "sene with avisement," so, p. 26. -- " 1 beheld with avisement."
[56] i.e. Nature, reality.
[57] MS. "licor."
[58] The appointed number of heavenly citizens.
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THE FIFTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XIII
The Enemy is overcome by the blessed Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus
Christ
AND after this, ere God shewed any words, He suffered me for a convenient
time to give heed unto Him and all that I had seen, and all intellect [59]
that
was therein, as the simplicity of the soul might take it. [60] Then He,
without voice and opening of lips, formed in my soul these words: Herewith
is the Fiend overcome. These words said our Lord, meaning His blessed
Passion as He shewed it afore.
On this shewed our Lord that the Passion of Him is the overcoming of the
Fiend. God shewed that the Fiend hath now the same malice that he had afore
the Incarnation. And as sore he travaileth, and as continually he seeth that
all souls of salvation escape him, worshipfully, by the virtue of Christs
precious Passion. And that is his sorrow, and full evil is he ashamed: for
all that God suffereth him to do turneth [for] us to joy and [for] him to
shame and woe. And he hath as much sorrow when God giveth him leave to work,
as when he worketh not: and that is for that he may never do as ill as he
would: for his might is all taken [61] into Gods hand.
But in God there may be no wrath, as to my sight: for our good Lord
endlessly hath regard to His own worship and to the profit of all that shall
be saved. With might and right He withstandeth the Reproved, the which of
malice and wickedness busy them to contrive and to do against Gods will.
Also I saw our Lord scorn his malice and set at nought his unmight; and He
willeth that we do so. For this sight I laughed mightily, and that made them
to laugh that were about me, and their laughing was a pleasure to me. I
thought that I would that all mine even-Christians had seen as I saw,
and then would they all laugh with me. But I saw not Christ laugh. For I
understood that we may laugh in comforting of ourselves and joying in God
for that the devil is overcome. And when I saw Him scorn his malice, it was
by leading of mine understanding into our Lord: that is to say, it was an
inward shewing of verity, without changing of look. [62] For, as to my
sight, it is a worshipful property of Gods that [He] is ever the same.
And after this I fell into a graveness, [63] and said: I see three things: I
see game, scorn, and earnest. I see [a] game, in that the Fiend is overcome;
I see scorn, in that God scorneth him, and he shall be scorned; and I see
earnest, in that he is overcome by the blissful Passion and Death of our
Lord Jesus Christ that was done in full earnest and with sober travail.
When I said, he is scorned,”I meant that God scorneth him, that is to say,
because He seeth him now as he shall do without end. For in this [word] God
shewed that the Fiend is condemned. And this meant I when I said: he shall
be scorned: [he shall be scorned] at Doomsday, generally of all that shall
be saved, to whose consolation he hath great ill-will. [64] For then he
shall see that all the woe and tribulation that he hath done to them shall
be turned to increase of their joy, without end; and all the pain and
tribulation that he would have brought them to shall endlessly go with him
to hell.
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[59] i.e. significance, teaching.
[60] i.e. in so far as the simplicity of my soul was able to understand it.
-- See xxiv.
[61] S. de Cressy has "locked " instead of "taken."
[62] "chere" = expression of countenance.
[63] "sadhede."
[64] "invye."
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THE SIXTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XIV
The age of every man shall be acknowledged before him in Heaven, and every
man shall be rewarded for his willing service and for his time.
AFTER this our good Lord said: I thank thee for thy travail, and especially
for thy youth.
And in this [Shewing] mine understanding was lifted up into Heaven where I
saw our Lord as a lord in his own house, which hath called all his
dearworthy servants and friends to a stately feast. [65] Then I saw the Lord
take no place in His own house, but I saw Him royally reign in His house,
fulfilling it with joy and mirth, Himself endlessly to gladden and to solace
His dearworthy friends, full homely and full courteously, with marvellous
melody of endless love, in His own fair blessed Countenance. Which glorious
Countenance of the Godhead fulfilleth the Heavens with joy and bliss. [66]
God shewed three degrees of bliss that every soul shall have in Heaven that
willingly hath served God in any degree in earth. The first is the
worshipful thanks of our Lord God that he shall receive when he is delivered
of pain. This thanking is so high and so worshipful that the soul thinketh
it filleth him though there were no more. For methought that all the pain
and travail that might be suffered by all living men might not deserve the
worshipful thanks that one man shall have that willingly hath served God.
The second is
that all the blessed creatures that are in Heaven shall see that worshipful
thanking, and He maketh his service known to all that are in Heaven. And
here this example was shewed.”A king, if he thank his servants, it is a
great worship to them, and if he maketh it known to all the realm, then is
the worship greatly increased.”The third is, that as new and as gladdening
as it is received in that time, right so shall it last without end.
And I saw that homely and sweetly was this shewed, and that the age of every
man shall be [made] known in Heaven, and [he] shall be rewarded for his
willing service and for his time. And specially the age of them that
willingly and freely offer their youth unto God, passingly is rewarded and
wonderfully is thanked.
For I saw that wheneer what time a man or woman is truly turned to God,”for
one days service and for his endless will he shall have all these three
decrees of bliss. And the more the loving soul seeth this courtesy of God,
the liefer he [67] is to serve him all the days of his life.
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[65] Ms. "solemne" -- ceremonial.
[66] See lxxii. and lxxv.
[67] Throughout this MS. the soul is referred to generally with the
masculine pronoun; the feminine pronoun is never used, in any of its cases;
the neuter sometimes occurs.
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THE SEVENTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XV
It is not Gods will that we follow the feeling of pains in sorrow and
mourning for them
AND after this He shewed a sovereign ghostly pleasance in my soul. I was
fulfilled with the everlasting sureness, mightily sustained without any
painful
dread. This feeling was so glad and so ghostly that I was in all peace and
in rest, that there was nothing in earth that should have grieved me.
This lasted but a while, and I was turned and left to myself in heaviness,
and weariness of my life, and irksomeness of myself, that scarcely I could
have patience to live. There was no comfort nor none ease to me but faith,
hope, and charity; and these I had in truth, but little in feeling.
And anon after this our blessed Lord gave me again the comfort and the rest
in soul, in satisfying and sureness so blissful and so mighty that no dread,
no sorrow, no pain bodily that might be suffered should have distressed me.
And then the pain shewed again to my feeling, and then the joy and the
pleasing, and now that one, and now that other, divers times”I suppose about
twenty times. And in the time of joy I might have said with Saint Paul:
Nothing shall dispart me from the charity of Christ; and in the pain I might
have said with Peter: Lord, save me: I perish!
This Vision was shewed me, according to mine understanding, [for] that it is
speedful to some souls to feel on this wise: sometime to be in comfort, and
sometime to fail and to be left to themselves. God willeth that we know that
He keepeth us even alike secure in woe and in weal. And for profit of mans
soul, a man is sometime left to himself; although sin is not always the
cause: for in this time I sinned not wherefore I should be left to
myself”for it was so sudden. Also I deserved not to have this blessed
feeling. But freely our Lord giveth when He will; and suffereth us [to be]
in woe sometime. And both is one love.
For it is Gods will that we hold us in comfort with all our might: for
bliss is lasting without end, and pain is passing and shall be brought to
nought for them that shall be saved. And therefore it is not Gods will that
we follow the feelings of pain in sorrow and mourning for them, but that we
suddenly pass over, and hold us in endless enjoyment.
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THE EIGHTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XVI
A Part of His Passion
AFTER this Christ shewed a part of His Passion near His dying.
I saw His sweet face as it were dry and bloodless with pale dying. And
later, more pale, dead, languoring; and then turned more dead unto blue; and
then more brown-blue, as the flesh turned more deeply dead. For His Passion
shewed to me most specially in His blessed face (and chiefly in His lips):
there I saw these four colours, though it were afore fresh, ruddy, and
pleasing, to my sight. This was a pitiful change to see, this deep dying.
And also the [inward] moisture clotted and dried, to my sight, and the sweet
body was brown and black, all turned out of fair, life-like colour of
itself, unto dry dying. For that same time that our Lord and blessed Saviour
died upon the Rood, it was a dry, hard wind, and wondrous cold, as to my
sight, and what time [all] the precious blood was bled out of the sweet body
that
might pass therefrom, yet there dwelled a moisture in the sweet flesh of
Christ, as it was shewed.
Bloodlessness and pain dried within; and blowing of wind and cold coming
from without met together in the sweet body of Christ. And these four,”twain
without, and twain within”dried the flesh of Christ by process of time. And
though this pain was bitter and sharp, it was full long lasting, as to my
sight, and painfully dried up all the lively spirits of Christs flesh. Thus
I saw the sweet flesh dry in seeming by part after part, with marvellous
pains. And as long as any spirit had life in Christs flesh, so long
suffered He pain.
This long pining seemed to me as if He had been seven nights dead, dying, at
the point of outpassing away, suffering the last pain. And when I said it
seemed to me as if He had been seven night dead, it meaneth that the sweet
body was so discoloured, so dry, so shrunken, so deathly, and so piteous, as
if He had been seven night dead, continually dying. And methought the drying
of Christs flesh was the most pain, and the last, of His Passion.
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CHAPTER XVII
How might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life, and
all my bliss, and all my joy suffer?
AND in this dying was brought to my mind the words of Christ: I thirst.
For I saw in Christ a double thirst: one bodily; another spiritual, the
which I shall speak of in the Thirty-first Chapter.
For this word was shewed for the bodily thirst: the which I understood was
caused by failing of moisture. For the blessed flesh and bones was left all
alone without blood and moisture. The blessed body dried alone long time
with wringing of the nails and weight of the body. For I understood that for
tenderness of the sweet hands and of the sweet feet, by the greatness,
hardness, and grievousness of the nails the wounds waxed wide and the body
sagged, for weight by long time hanging. And [therewith was] piercing and
pressing of the head, and binding of the Crown all baked with dry blood,
with the sweet hair clinging, and the dry flesh, to the thorns, and the
thorns to the flesh drying; and in the beginning while the flesh was fresh
and bleeding, the continual sitting of the thorns made the wounds wide. And
furthermore I saw that the sweet skin and the tender flesh, with the hair
and the blood, was all raised and loosed about from the bone, with the
thorns wherethrough it were rent in many pieces, as a cloth that were
sagging, as if it would hastily have fallen off, for heaviness and
looseness, while it had natural moisture. And that was great sorrow and
dread to me: for methought I would not for my life have seen it fall. How it
was done I saw not; but understood it was with the sharp thorns and the
violent and grievous setting on of the Garland of Thorns, unsparingly and
without pity. This continued awhile, and soon it began to change, and I
beheld and marvelled how it might be. And then I saw it was because it began
to dry, and stint a part of the weight, and set about the Garland. And thus
it encircled all about, as it were garland upon garland. The Garland of the
Thorns was dyed with the blood,
and that other garland [of Blood] and the head, all was one colour, as
clotted blood when it is dry. The skin of the flesh that shewed (of the face
and of the body), was small-rimpled [68] with a tanned colour, like a dry
board when it is aged; and the face more brown than the body.
I saw four manner of dryings: the first was bloodlessness; the second was
pain following after; the third, hanging up in the air, as men hang a cloth
to dry; the fourth, that the bodily Kind asked liquid and there was no
manner of comfort ministered to Him in all His woe and distress. Ah! hard
and grievous was his pain, but much more hard and grievous it was when the
moisture failed and began to dry thus, shrivelling.
These were the pains that shewed in the blessed head: the first wrought to
the dying, while it had moisture; and that other, slow, with shrinking
drying, [and] with blowing of the wind from without, that dried and pained
Him with cold more than mine heart can think.
And other pains”for which pains I saw that all is too little that I can say:
for it may not be told.
The which Shewing of Christs pains filled me full of pain. For I wist well
He suffered but once, but [this was as if] He would shew it me and fill me
with mind as I had afore desired. And in all this time of Christs pains I
felt no pain but for Christs pains. Then thought-me: I knew but little what
pain it was that I asked; and, as a wretch, repented me, thinking: If I had
wist what it had been, loth me had been to have prayed it. For methought it
passed bodily death, my pains.
I thought: Is any pain like this? And I was answered
in my reason: Hell is another pain: for there is despair. But of all pains
that lead to salvation this is the most pain, to see thy Love suffer. How
might any pain be more to me than to see Him that is all my life, all my
bliss, and all my joy, suffer? Here felt I soothfastly [69] that I loved
Christ so much above myself that there was no pain that might be suffered
like to that sorrow that I had to [see] Him in pain.
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[68] or shrivelled.
[69] in sure verity
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CHAPTER XVIII
When He was in pain, we were in pain
HERE I saw a part of the compassion of our Lady, Saint Mary: for Christ and
she were so oned in love that the greatness of her loving was cause of the
greatness of her pain. For in this [Shewing] I saw a Substance of Natures
[70] Love, continued by Grace, that creatures have to Him: which Kind Love
was most fully shewed in His sweet Mother, and overpassing; for so much as
she loved Him more than all other, her pains passed all other. For ever the
higher, the mightier, the sweeter that the love be, the more sorrow it is to
the lover to see that body in pain that is loved.
And all His disciples and all His true lovers suffered pains more than their
own bodily dying. For I am sure by mine own feeling that the least of them
loved Him so far above himself that it passeth all that I can say.
Here saw I a great oneing betwixt Christ and us, to mine understanding: for
when He was in pain, we were in pain.
And all creatures that might suffer pain, suffered with Him: that is to say,
all creatures that God hath made to our service. The firmament, the earth,
failed for sorrow in their Nature in the time of Christs dying. For it
belongeth naturally to their property to know Him for their God, in whom all
their virtue standeth: when He failed, then behoved it needs to them,
because of kindness [between them], to fail with Him, as much as they might,
for sorrow of His pains.
And thus they that were His friends suffered pain for love. And, generally,
all: that is to say, they that knew Him not suffered for failing of all
manner of comfort save the mighty, privy keeping of God. I speak of two
manner of folk, as they may be understood by two persons: the one was
Pilate, the other was Saint Dionyse [71] of France, which was [at] that time
a Paynim. For when he saw wondrous and marvellous sorrows and dreads that
befell in that time, he said: Either the world is now at an end, or He that
is Maker of Kind suffereth. Wherefore he did write on an altar: THIS IS THE
ALTAR OF UNKNOWN GOD. God that of His goodness maketh the planets and the
elements to work of Kind to the blessed man and the cursed, in that time
made withdrawing [72] of it from both; wherefore it was that they that knew
Him not were in sorrow that time.
Thus was our Lord Jesus made-naught for us; and all we stand in this manner
made-naught with Him, and shall do till we come to His bliss: as I shall
tell after.
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[70] i.e. Natural.
[71] Dionysius, "the Areopagite," according to the legend of S. Denis.
[72] MS.. -- "it was withdrawen from bothe."
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CHAPTER XIX
Thus was I learned to choose Jesus for my Heaven, whom I saw only in pain at
that time
IN this [time] I would have looked up from the Cross, but I durst not. For I
wist well that while I beheld in the Cross I was surely-safe; therefore I
would not assent to put my soul in peril: for away from the Cross was no
sureness, for frighting of fiends.
Then had I a proffer in my reason, [73] as if it had been friendly said to
me: Look up to Heaven to His Father. And then saw I well, with the faith
that I felt, that there was nothing betwixt the Cross and Heaven that might
have harmed me. Either me behoved to look up or else to answer. I answered
inwardly with all the might of my soul, and said: Nay; I may not: for Thou
art my Heaven. This I said for that I would not. For I would liever have
been in that pain till Doomsday than to come to Heaven otherwise than by
Him. For I wist well that He that bound me so sore, He should unbind me when
that He would. Thus was I learned to choose Jesus to my Heaven, whom I saw
only in pain at that time: meliked no other Heaven than Jesus, which shall
be my bliss when I come there.
And this hath ever been a comfort to me, that I chose Jesus to my Heaven, by
His grace, in all this time of Passion and sorrow; and that hath been a
learning to me that I should evermore do so: choose only Jesus to my Heaven
in weal and woe.
And though I as a wretched creature had repented me
(I said afore if I had wist what pain it would be, I had been loth to have
prayed), here saw I truly that it was reluctance and frailty of the flesh
without assent of the soul: to which God assigneth no blame. Repenting and
willing choice be two contraries which I felt both in one at that time. And
these be [of our] two parts: the one outward, the other inward. The outward
part is our deadly flesh-hood, which is now in pain and woe, and shall be,
in this life: whereof I felt much in this time; and that part it was that
repented. The inward part is an high, blissful life, which is all in peace
and in love: and this was more inwardly felt; and this part is [that] in
which mightily, wisely and with steadfast will I chose Jesus to my Heaven.
And in this I saw verily that the inward part is master and sovereign to the
outward, and doth not charge itself with, nor take heed to, the will of
that: but all the intent and will is set to be oned unto our Lord Jesus.
That the outward part should draw the inward to assent was not shewed to me;
but that the inward draweth the outward by grace, and both shall be oned in
bliss without end, by the virtue of Christ,”this was shewed.
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[73] see xxxv. and lv.
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CHAPTER XX
For every mans sin that
shall be saved He suffered, and every mans sorrow
and desolation He saw, and sorrowed for Kinship and Love
AND thus I saw our Lord Jesus languoring long time. For the oneing with the
Godhead gave strength to the manhood for love to suffer more than
all men might suffer: I mean not only more pain than all men might suffer,
but also that He suffered more pain than all men of salvation that ever were
from the first beginning unto the last day might tell or fully think, having
regard to the worthiness of the highest worshipful King and the shameful,
despised, painful death. For He that is highest and worthiest was most fully
made-nought and most utterly despised.
For the highest point that may be seen in the Passion is to think and know
what He is that suffered. And in this [Shewing] He brought in part to mind
the height and nobleness of the glorious Godhead, and therewith the
preciousness and the tenderness of the blessed Body, which be together
united; and also the lothness that is in our Kind to suffer pain. For as
much as He was most tender and pure, right so He was most strong and mighty
to suffer.
And for every mans sin that shall be saved He suffered: and every mans
sorrow and desolation He saw, and sorrowed for Kindness and love. (For in as
much as our Lady sorrowed for His pains, in so much He suffered sorrow for
her sorrow;”and more, in as greatly as the sweet manhood of Him was worthier
in Kind.) For as long as He was passible He suffered for us and sorrowed for
us; and now He is uprisen and no more passible, yet He suffereth with us.
And I, beholding all this by His grace, saw that the Love of Him was so
strong which He hath to our soul that willingly He chose it with great
desire, and mildly He suffered it with well-pleasing.
For the soul that beholdeth it thus, when it is touched by grace, it shall
verily see that the pains of Christs
Passion pass all pains: [all pains] that is to say, which shall be turned
into everlasting, oerpassing joys by the virtue of Christs Passion.
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CHAPTER XXI
We be now with Him in His Pains and His Passion, dying. We shall be with Him
in Heaven. Through learning in this little pain that we suffer here, we shall
have an high endless knowledge of God which we could never have without
that
IT is Gods will, as to mine understanding, that we have Three [74] Manners
of Beholding His blessed Passion. The First is: the hard Pain that He
suffered,”[beholding it] with contrition and compassion. And that shewed our
Lord in this time, and gave me strength and grace to see it.
And I looked for the departing with all my might, and thought to have seen
the body all dead; but I saw Him not so. And right in the same time that
methought, by the seeming, the life might no longer last and the Shewing of
the end behoved needs to be,”suddenly (I beholding in the same Cross), He
changed [the look of] His blessed Countenance. [75] The changing of His
blessed Countenance changed mine, and I was as glad and merry as it was
possible. Then brought our Lord merrily to my mind: Where is now any point
of the pain, or of thy grief? And I was full merry.
I understood that we be now, in our Lords meaning, in His Cross with Him in
His pains and His Passion,
dying; and we, willingly abiding in the same Cross with His help and His
grace unto the last point, suddenly He shall change His Cheer to us, and we
shall be with Him in Heaven. Betwixt that one and that other shall be no
time, and then shall all be brought to joy. And thus said He in this
Shewing: Where is now any point of thy pain, or thy grief? And we shall be
full blessed.
And here saw I verily that if He shewed now [to] us His Blissful Cheer,
there is no pain in earth or in other place that should aggrieve us; but all
things should be to us joy and bliss. But because He sheweth to us time of
His Passion, as He bare it in this life, and His Cross, therefore we are in
distress and travail, with Him, as our frailty asketh. And the cause why He
suffereth [it to be so,] is for [that] He will of His goodness make us the
higher with Him in His bliss; and for this little pain that we suffer here,
we shall have an high endless knowing in God which we could [76] never have
without that. And the harder our pains have been with Him in His Cross, the
more shall our worship [77] be with Him in His Kingdom.
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[74] xxii. and xxiii.
[75] His "blisful chere," or blessed Cheer; lxxii. and Note.
[76] "might."
[77] i.e. glory.
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THE NINTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XXII
The Love that made Him to suffer passeth so far all His Pains as Heaven is
above Earth
THEN said our good Lord Jesus Christ: Art thou well pleased that I suffered
for thee? I said: Yea, good Lord, I thank Thee; Yea, good Lord, blessed
mayst Thou be.
Then said Jesus, our kind Lord: If thou art pleased, I am pleased: it is a
joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying to me that ever suffered I Passion for
thee; and if I might suffer more, I would suffer more.
In this feeling my understanding was lifted up into Heaven, and there I saw
three heavens: of which sight I marvelled greatly. And though I see three
heavens”and all in the blessed manhood of Christ”none is more, none is less,
none is higher, none is lower, but [they are] even-like in bliss.
For the First Heaven, Christ shewed me His Father; in no bodily likeness,
but in His property and in His working. That is to say, I saw in Christ that
the Father is. The working of the Father is this, that He giveth meed to His
Son Jesus Christ. This gift and this meed is so blissful to Jesus that His
Father might have given Him no meed that might have pleased Him better. The
first heaven, that is the pleasing of the Father, shewed to me as one
heaven; and it was full blissful: for He is full pleased with all the deeds
that Jesus hath done about our salvation. Wherefore we be not only His by
His buying, but also by the courteous gift of His Father we be His bliss, we
be His meed, we be His worship, we be His crown. (And this was a singular
marvel and a full delectable beholding, that we be His crown!) This that I
say is so great bliss to Jesus that He setteth at nought all His travail,
and His hard Passion, and His cruel and shameful death.
And in these words: If that I might suffer more, I would suffer more,”I saw
in truth that as often as He might die, so often He would, and love should
never let Him have rest till He had done it. And I beheld with great
diligence
for to learn how often He would die if He might. And verily the number
passed mine understanding and my wits so far that my reason might not, nor
could, comprehend it. And when He had thus oft died, or should, yet He would
set it at nought, for love: for all seemeth [78] Him but little in regard of
His love.
For though the sweet manhood of Christ might suffer but once, the goodness
in Him may never cease of proffer: every day He is ready to the same, if it
might be. For if He said He would for my love make new Heavens and new
Earth, it were but little in comparison; [79] for this might be done every
day if He would, without any travail. But to die for my love so often that
the number passeth creatures reason, it is the highest proffer that our
Lord God might make to mans soul, as to my sight. Then meaneth He thus: How
should it not be that I should not do for thy love all that I might of deeds
which grieve me not, sith I would, for thy love, die so often, having no
regard [80] to my hard pains?
And here saw I, for the Second [81] Beholding in this blessed Passion the
love that made Him to suffer passeth as far all His pains as Heaven is above
Earth. For the pains was a noble, worshipful deed done in a time by the
working of love: but [82] Love was without beginning, is, and shall be
without ending. For which love He said full sweetly these words: If I might
suffer more, I would suffer more. He said not, If it were needful
to suffer more: for though it were not needful, if He might suffer more, He
would.
This deed, and this work about our salvation, was ordained as well as God
might ordain it. And here I saw a Full Bliss in Christ: for His bliss should
not have been full, if it might any better have been done.
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[78] "ffor al thynketh him but litil in reward of His love" [in comparison
with].
[79] MS. "Reward."
[80] MS. "Reward."
[81] See xxi., xxiii.
[82] MS. "and," probably here, as in other places, with something of the
force of "but."
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CHAPTER XXIII
The Glad Giver
All the Trinity wrought in the Passion of Jesus Christ
AND in these three words: It is a Joy, a bliss, an endless satisfying to me,
were shewed three heavens, as thus: For the joy, I understood the pleasure
of the Father; and for the bliss, the worship of the Son; and for the
endless satisfying, [83] the Holy Ghost. The Father is pleased, the Son is
worshipped, the Holy Ghost is satisfied. [84]
And here saw I, for the Third Beholding in His blissful Passion: that is to
say, the Joy and the Bliss that make Him to be well-satisfied in it. For our
Courteous Lord shewed His Passion to me in five manners: of which the first
is the bleeding of the head; the second is, discolouring of His face; the
third is, the plenteous bleeding of the body, in seeming [as] from the
scourging; the fourth is, the deep dying:”these four are aforetold for the
pains of the Passion. And the fifth is [this] that was shewed for the joy
and the bliss of the Passion.
For it is Gods will that we have true enjoying with Him in our salvation,
and therein He willeth [that] we
be mightily comforted and strengthened; and thus willeth He that merrily
with His grace our soul be occupied. For we are His bliss: for in us He
enjoyeth without end; and so shall we in Him, with His grace.
And all that He hath done for us, and doeth, and ever shall, was never cost
nor charge to Him, nor might be, but only that [which] He did in our
manhood, beginning at the sweet Incarnation and lasting to the Blessed
Uprise on Easter-morrow: [85] so long dured the cost and the charge about
our redemption in deed: of [the] which deed He enjoyeth endlessly, as it is
aforesaid.
Jesus willeth that we take heed to the bliss that is in the blessed Trinity
[because] of our salvation and that we desire to have as much spiritual
enjoying, with His grace, (as it is aforesaid): that is to say, that the
enjoying of our salvation be [as] like to the joy that Christ hath of our
salvation as it may be while we are here.
All the Trinity wrought in the Passion of Christ, ministering abundance of
virtues and plenty of grace to us by Him: but only the Maidens Son
suffered: whereof all the blessed Trinity endlessly enjoyeth. All this was
shewed in these words: Art thou well pleased?”and by that other word that
Christ said: If thou art pleased, then am I pleased;”as if He said: It is
joy and satisfying enough to me, and I ask nought else of thee for my
travail but that I might well please thee.
And in this He brought to mind the property of a glad giver. A glad giver
taketh but little heed of the thing that he giveth, but all his desire and
all his intent is to please him and solace him to whom
he giveth it. And if the receiver take the gift highly and thankfully, then
the courteous giver setteth at nought all his cost and all his travail, for
joy and delight that he hath pleased and solaced him that he loveth.
Plenteously and fully was this shewed.
Think also wisely of the greatness of this wordever. For in it was shewed
an high knowing of lo [86] ve that He hath in our salvation, with manifold
joys that follow of the Passion of Christ. One is that He rejoiceth that He
hath done it in deed, and He shall no more suffer; another, that He bought
us from endless pains of hell.
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[83] "lykyng"; "lykith."
[84] "lykyng"; "lykith."
[85] "Esterne morrow" = Easter morning.
[86] Experience of loving (?).
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THE TENTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XXIV
Our Lord looked unto His [wounded] Side, and beheld, rejoicing. . . .
Lo! how I loved thee
THEN with a glad cheer our Lord looked unto His Side and beheld, rejoicing.
With His sweet looking He led forth the understanding of His creature by the
same wound into His Side within. And then he shewed a fair, delectable
place, and large enough for all mankind that shall be saved to rest in peace
and in love. [87] And therewith He brought to mind His dearworthy blood and
precious water which he let pour all out for love. And with the sweet
beholding He shewed His blessed heart even cloven in two.
And with this sweet enjoying, He shewed unto mine
understanding, in part, the blessed Godhead, stirring then the poor soul
[88] to understand, as it may be said, that is, to think on, [89] the
endless Love that was without beginning, and is, and shall be ever. And with
this our good Lord said full blissfully: Lo, how that I loved thee, as if He
had said: My darling, behold and see thy Lord, thy God that is thy Maker and
thine endless joy, see what satisfying and bliss I have in thy salvation;
and for my love rejoice [thou] with me.
And also, for more understanding, this blessed word was said: Lo, how I
loved thee! Behold and see that I loved thee so much ere I died for thee
that I would die for thee; and now I have died for thee and suffered
willingly that which I may. And now is all my bitter pain and all my hard
travail turned to endless joy and bliss to me and to thee. How should it now
be that thou shouldst anything pray that pleaseth me but that I should full
gladly grant it thee? For my pleasing is thy holiness and thine endless joy
and bliss with me.
This is the understanding, simply as I can say it, of this blessed word: Lo,
how I loved thee. This shewed our good Lord for to make us glad and merry.
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[87] See note on the passage in lv., "long and broad, all full of endless
heavens"; "He hath, beclosed in Him, all heavens and all joy and bliss."
[88] See xiii., "the simplicity of the soul."
[89] MS. "that is to mene the endles love."
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THE ELEVENTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XXV
I wot well that thou wouldst see my blessed Mother. . . .
Wilt thou see in her how thou art loved?
AND with this same cheer of mirth and joy our good Lord looked down on the
right side and brought to my mind where our Lady stood in the time of His
Passion; and said: Wilt thou see her? And in this sweet word [it was] as if
He had said: I wot well that thou wouldst see my blessed Mother: for, after
myself, she is the highest joy that I might shew thee, and most pleasance
and worship to me; and most she is desired to be seen of my blessed
creatures. And for the high, marvellous, singular love that He hath to this
sweet Maiden, His blessed Mother, our Lady Saint Mary, He shewed her highly
rejoicing, as by the meaning of these sweet words; as if He said: Wilt thou
see how I love her, that thou mightest joy with me in the love that I have
in her and she in me?
And also (unto more understanding this sweet word) our Lord speaketh to all
mankind that shall be saved, as it were all to one person, as if He said:
Wilt thou see in her how thou art loved? For thy love I made her so high, so
noble and so worthy; and this pleaseth me, and so will I that it doeth thee.
For after Himself she is the most blissful sight.
But hereof am I not learned to long to see her bodily presence while I am
here, but the virtues of her blessed soul: her truth, her wisdom, her
charity; whereby I may learn to know myself and reverently dread my God. And
when our good Lord had shewed this and said this word: Wilt thou see her? I
answered and said: Yea, good Lord, I thank Thee; yea, good Lord, if it be
Thy will. Oftentimes I prayed this, and I weened to have seen her in bodily
presence, but I saw her not so. And Jesus in that word shewed me ghostly
sight of her: right as I had seen her afore little and simple, so He shewed
her then high and noble and glorious, and pleasing to Him above all
creatures.
And He willeth that it be known; that [so] all those
that please them in Him should please them in her, and in the pleasance that
He hath in her and she in Him. [90] And, to more understanding, He shewed
this example: As if a man love a creature singularly, above all creatures,
he willeth to make all creatures to love and to have pleasance in that
creature that he loveth so greatly. And in this word that Jesus said: Wilt
thou see her? methought it was the most pleasing word that He might have
given me of her, with that ghostly Shewing that He gave me of her. For our
Lord shewed me nothing in special but our Lady Saint Mary; and her He shewed
three times. [91] The first was as she was with Child; the second was as she
was in her sorrows under the Cross; the third is as she is now in pleasing,
worship, and joy.
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[90] "And he wil that it be knowen that al those that lyke in him should
lyken in hir and in the lykyng that he hath in hir and she in him."
[91] See (1) iv. (referred to in vii.); (2) xviii.
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THE TWELFTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XXVI
It is I, it is I
AND after this our Lord shewed Himself more glorified, as to my sight, than
I saw Him before [in the Shewing] wherein I was learned that our soul shall
never have rest till it cometh to Him, knowing that He is fulness of joy,
homely and courteous, blissful and very life.
Our Lord Jesus oftentimes said: I it am, I it am: I it am that is highest, I
it am that thou lovest, I it am that
thou enjoyest, I it am that thou servest, I it am that thou longest for, I
it am that thou desirest, I it am that thou meanest, I it am that is all. I
it am that Holy Church preacheth and teacheth thee, I it am that shewed me
here to thee. The number of the words passeth my wit and all my
understanding and all my powers. And they are the highest, as to my sight:
for therein is comprehended”I cannot tell,”but the joy that I saw in the
Shewing of them passeth all that heart may wish for and soul may desire.
Therefore the words be not declared here; but every man after the grace that
God giveth him in understanding and loving, receive them in our Lords
meaning.
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THE THIRTEENTH REVELATION
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CHAPTER XXVII
Often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of
sin was not hindered: for then, methought, all should have been well.Sin
is behovable”[playeth a needful part]”; but all shall be well
AFTER this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him afore.
And I saw that nothing letted me but sin. And so I looked, generally, upon
us all, and methought: If sin had not been, we should all have been clean
and like to our Lord, as He made us.
And thus, in my folly, afore this time often I wondered why by the great
foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not letted: for then,
methought, all should have been well. This stirring [of mind] was
much to be forsaken, but nevertheless mourning and sorrow I made therefor,
without reason and discretion.
But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to me,
answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin; [92]
but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall
be well.
In this naked word sin, our Lord brought to my mind, generally, all that is
not good, and the shameful despite and the utter noughting [93] that He bare
for us in this life, and His dying; and all the pains and passions of all
His creatures, ghostly and bodily; (for we be all partly noughted, and we
shall be noughted following our Master, Jesus, till we be full purged, that
is to say, till we be fully noughted of our deadly flesh and of all our
inward affections which are not very good;) and the beholding of this, with
all pains that ever were or ever shall be,”and with all these I understand
the Passion of Christ for most pain, and overpassing. All this was shewed in
a touch and quickly passed over into comfort: for our good Lord would not
that the soul were affeared of this terrible sight.
But I saw not sin: for I believe it hath no manner of substance nor no part
of being, nor could it be known but by the pain it is cause of.
And thus [94] pain, it is something, as to my sight, for a time; for it
purgeth, and maketh us to know ourselves and to ask mercy. For the Passion
of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His blessed will.
And for the tender love that our good Lord hath to all that shall be saved,
He comforteth readily and sweetly, signifying thus: It is sooth [95] that
sin is cause of all this pain; but all shall be well, and all shall be well,
and all manner [of] thing shall be well.
These words were said full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me nor to
any that shall be saved. Then were it a great unkindness [96] to blame or
wonder on God for my sin, since He blameth not me for sin.
And in these words I saw a marvellous high mystery hid in God, which mystery
He shall openly make known to us in Heaven: in which knowing we shall verily
see the cause why He suffered sin to come. In which sight we shall endlessly
joy in our Lord God. [97]
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[92] "Synne is behovabil, but al shal be wel and al shal be wel and all
manner of thyng shal be wele."
[93] Being made as nothing, set at nought.
[94] S. de Cressy has "this" instead of thus.
[95] i.e. truth, an actual reality. See lxxxii.
[96] As it were, an unreasonable contravention of natural, filial trust.
[97] See also chap. lxi. From the Enchiridion of Saint Augustine: -- "All
things that exist, therefore, seeing that the Creator of them all is
supremely good, are themselves good. But because they are not like their
Creator, supremely and unchangeably good, their good may be diminished and
increased. But for good to be diminished is an evil, although, however much
it may be diminished, it is necessary, if the being is to continue, that
some good should remain to constitute the being. For however small or of
whatever kind the being may be, the good which makes it a being cannot be
destroyed without destroying the being itself.... So long as a being is in
process of corruption, there is in it some good of which it is being
deprived; and if a part of the being should remain which cannot be
corrupted, this will certainly be an incorruptible being, and accordingly
the process of corruption will result in the manifestation of this great
good. But if it do not cease to be corrupted, neither can it cease to
possess good of which corruption may deprive it. But if it should be
thoroughly and completely consumed by corruption, there will then be no good
left, because there will be no being. Wherefore corruption can consume the
good only by consuming the being. Every being, therefore, is a good; a great
good, if it cannot be corrupted; a little good, if it can: but in any case,
only the foolish or ignorant will deny that it is a good. And if it be
wholly consumed by corruption, then the corruption itself must cease to
exist, as there is no being left in which it can dwell." Chap x. "By the
Trinity, thus supremely and equally and unchangeably good, all things were
created; and these are not supremely and equally and unchangeably good, but
yet they are good, even taken separately. Taken as a whole, however, they
are very good, because their ensemble constitutes the universe in all its
wonderful order and beauty " -- The Works of Aurelius Augustine, Bishop of
Hippo, (Edited by the Rev. Marcus Dods, D.D.), vol. ix.
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CHAPTER XXVIII
Each brotherly compassion that man hath on his fellow Christians, with
charity, it is Christ in him
THUS I saw how Christ hath compassion on us for the cause of sin. And right
as I was afore in the [Shewing of the] Passion of Christ fulfilled with pain
and compassion, like so in this [sight] I was fulfilled, in part, with
compassion of all mine even-Christians”for that well, well beloved people
that shall be saved. For Gods servants, Holy Church, shall be shaken in
sorrow and anguish, tribulation in this world, as men shake a cloth in the
wind.
And as to this our Lord answered in this manner: A great thing shall I make
hereof in Heaven of endless worship and everlasting joys.
Yea, so far forth I saw, that our Lord joyeth of the tribulations of His
servants, with ruth and compassion. On each person that He loveth, to His
bliss for to bring [them], He layeth something that is no blame in His
sight, whereby they are blamed and despised in this
world, scorned, mocked, [98] and outcasted. And this He doeth for to hinder
the harm that they should take from the pomp and the vain-glory of this
wretched life, and make their way ready to come to Heaven, and up-raise them
in His bliss everlasting. For He saith: I shall wholly break you of your
vain affections and your vicious pride; and after that I shall together
gather you, and make you mild and meek, clean and holy, by oneing to me.
And then I saw that each kind compassion that man hath on his
even-Christians with charity, it is Christ in him.
That same noughting that was shewed in His Passion, it was shewed again here
in this Compassion. Wherein were two manner of understandings in our Lords
meaning. The one was the bliss that we are brought to, wherein He willeth
that we rejoice. The other is for comfort in our pain: for He willeth that
we perceive that it shall all be turned to worship and profit by virtue of
His passion, that we perceive that we suffer not alone but with Him, and see
Him to be our Ground, and that we see His pains and His noughting passeth so
far all that we may suffer, that it may not be fully thought.
The beholding of this will save us from murmuring [99] and despair in the
feeling of our pains. And if we see soothly that our sin deserveth it, yet
His love excuseth us, and of His great courtesy He doeth away all our blame,
and beholdeth us with ruth and pity as children innocent and unloathful.
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[98] "Something that is no lak in his syte, whereby thei are lakid and
dispisyd in thys world, scornyd" (a word like "rapyd" -- probably "mokyd,"
as in S. de C.) "and outcasten."
[99] "gruching."
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CHAPTER XXIX
How could all be well, for the great harm that is come by sin to the
creature?
BUT in this I stood beholding things general, troublously and mourning,
saying thus to our Lord in my meaning, with full great dread: Ah! good Lord,
how might all be well, for the great hurt that is come, by sin, to the
creature? And here I desired, as far as I durst, to have some more open
declaring wherewith I might be eased in this matter.
And to this our blessed Lord answered full meekly and with full lovely
cheer, and shewed that Adams sin was the most harm that ever was done, or
ever shall be, to the worlds end; and also He shewed that this [sin] is
openly known in all Holy Church on earth. Furthermore He taught that I
should behold the glorious Satisfaction [100] : for this Amends-making is
more pleasing to God and more worshipful, without comparison, than ever was
the sin of Adam harmful. Then signifieth our blessed Lord thus in this
teaching, that we should take heed to this: For since I have made well the
most harm, then it is my will that thou know thereby that I shall make well
all that is less.
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[100] "asyeth"; "asyeth making"= asseth., Satisfying, Fulfilment. See p. 2.
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CHAPTER XXX
Two parts of Truth: the part that is open: our Saviour and our
salvation;”and the part that is hid and shut up from us: all beside our
salvation
HE gave me understanding of two parts [of truth]. The one part is our
Saviour and our salvation. This blessed part is open and clear and fair and
light, and plenteous,”for all mankind that is of good will, and shall be, is
comprehended in this part. Hereto are we bounden of God, and drawn and
counselled and taught inwardly by the Holy Ghost and outwardly by Holy
Church in the same grace. In this willeth our Lord that we be occupied,
joying in Him; for He enjoyeth in us. The more plenteously that we take of
this, with reverence and meekness, the more thanks we earn of Him and the
more speed [101] to ourselves, thus”may we say”enjoying our part of our
Lord. The other [part] is hid and shut up from us: that is to say, all that
is beside our salvation. For it is our Lords privy counsel, and it
belongeth to the royal lordship of God to have His privy counsel in peace,
and it belongeth to His servant, for obedience and reverence, not to learn
[102] wholly His counsel. Our Lord hath pity and compassion on us for that
some creatures make themselves so busy therein; and I am sure if we knew how
much we should please Him and ease ourselves by leaving it, we would. The
saints that be in Heaven, they will to know nothing but that which our Lord
willeth to shew them: and also their charity and their desire is ruled after
the will of our Lord: and thus ought we to will, like to them. Then shall we
nothing will nor desire but the will of our Lord, as they do: for we are all
one in Gods seeing.
And here was I learned that we shall trust and rejoice only in our Saviour,
blessed Jesus, for all thing.
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[101] i.e. profit.
[102] "It longyth to the royal Lordship of God to have his privy councell in
pece, and it longyth to his servant for obedience and reverens not to wel
wetyn his counselye."
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CHAPTER XXXI
The Spiritual Thirst (which was in Him from without beginning) is desire in
Him as long as we be in need, drawing us up to His Bliss
AND thus our good Lord answered to all the questions and doubts that I might
make, saying full comfortably: I may make all thing well, I can make all
thing well, I will make all thing well, and I shall make all thing well; and
thou shalt see thyself that all manner of thing shall be well.
In that He saith, I may, I understand [it] for the Father; and in that He
saith, I can, I understand [it] for the Son; and where He saith, I will, I
understand [it] for the Holy Ghost; and where He saith, I shall, I
understand [it] for the unity of the blessed Trinity: three Persons and one
Truth; and where He saith, Thou shalt see thyself, I understand the oneing
of all mankind that shall be saved unto the blessed Trinity. And in these
five words God willeth we be enclosed in rest and in peace.
Thus shall the Spiritual Thirst of Christ have an end. For this is the
Spiritual Thirst of Christ: the love-longing that lasteth, and ever shall,
till we see that sight on Doomsday. For we that shall be saved and shall be
Christs joy and His bliss, some be yet here and some be to come, and so
shall some be, unto that day. Therefore this is His thirst and love-longing,
to have us altogether whole in Him, to His bliss,”as to my sight. For we be
not now as fully whole in Him as we shall be then.
For we know in our Faith, and also it was shewed in all [the Revelations]
that Christ Jesus is both God and man. And anent the Godhead, He is Himself
highest bliss, and was, from without beginning, and shall be, without end:
which endless bliss may never be heightened nor lowered in itself. For this
was plenteously seen in every Shewing, and specially in the Twelfth, where
He saith: I am that [which] is highest. And anent Christs Manhood, it is
known in our Faith, and also [it was] shewed, that He, with the virtue of
Godhead, for love, to bring us to His bliss suffered pains and passions, and
died. And these be the works of Christs Manhood wherein He rejoiceth; and
that shewed He in the Ninth Revelation, where He saith: It is a joy and
bliss and endless pleasing to me that ever I suffered Passion for thee. And
this is the bliss of Christs works, and thus he signifieth where He saith
in that same Shewing: we be His bliss, we be His meed, we be His worship, we
be His crown.
For anent that Christ is our Head, He is glorified and impassible; and anent
His Body in which all His members are knit, He is not yet fully glorified
nor all impassible. Therefore the same desire and thirst that
He had upon the Cross (which desire, longing, and thirst, as to my sight,
was in Him from without beginning) the same hath He yet, and shall [have]
unto the time that the last soul that shall be saved is come up to His
bliss.
For as verily as there is a property in God of ruth and pity, so verily
there is a property in God of thirst and longing. (And of the virtue of this
longing in Christ, we have to long again to Him: without which no soul
cometh to Heaven.) And this property of longing and thirst cometh of the
endless Goodness of God, even as the property of pity cometh of His endless
Goodness. And though longing and pity are two sundry properties, as to my
sight, in this standeth the point of the Spiritual Thirst: which is desire
in Him as long as we be in need, drawing us up to His bliss. And all this
was seen in the Shewing of Compassion: for that shall cease on Doomsday.
Thus He hath ruth and compassion on us, and He hath longing to have us; but
His wisdom and His love suffereth not the end to come till the best time.
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CHAPTER XXXII
There be deeds evil done in our sight, and so great harms taken, that it
seemeth to us that it were impossible that ever it should come to good
end.That Great Deed ordained . . . by which our Lord God shall make all
things well
ONE time our good Lord said: All thing shall be well; and another time he
said: Thou shalt see thyself that all MANNER [of] thing shall be well; and
in these two [sayings] the soul took sundry understandings.
One was that He willeth we know that not only He taketh heed to noble things
and to great, but also to little and to small, to low and to simple, to one
and to other. And so meaneth He in that He saith: ALL MANNER OF THINGS shall
be well. For He willeth we know that the least thing shall not be forgotten.
Another understanding is this, that there be deeds evil done in our sight,
and so great harms taken, that it seemeth to us that it were impossible that
ever it should come to good end. And upon this we look, sorrowing and
mourning therefor, so that we cannot resign us unto the blissful beholding
of God as we should do. And the cause of this is that the use of our reason
is now so blind, so low, and so simple, that we cannot know that high
marvellous Wisdom, the Might and the Goodness of the blissful Trinity. And
thus signifieth He when He saith: THOU SHALT SEE THYSELF if [103] all manner
of things shall be well. As if He said: Take now heed faithfully and
trustingly, and at the last end thou shalt verily see it in fulness of joy.
And thus in these same five words aforesaid: I may make all things well,
etc., I understand a mighty comfort of all the works of our Lord God that
are yet to come. There is a Deed the which the blessed Trinity shall do in
the last Day, as to my sight, and when the Deed shall be, and how it shall
be done, is unknown of all creatures that are beneath Christ, and shall be
till when it is done.
[ [104] The Goodness and the Love of our Lord God will that we wit [know]
that it shall be; And theMight and the Wisdom of him by the same Love
will
hill [conceal] it, and hide it from us what it shall be,and how it shall
be done.]
And the cause why He willeth that we know [this Deed shall be], is for that
He would have us the more eased in our soul and [the more] set at peace in
love [105]”leaving the beholding of all troublous things that might keep us
back from true enjoying of Him. This is that Great Deed ordained of our Lord
God from without beginning, treasured and hid in His blessed breast, only
known to Himself: by which He shall make all things well.
For like as the blissful Trinity made all things of nought, right so the
same blessed Trinity shall make well all that is not well.
And in this sight I marvelled greatly and beheld our Faith, marvelling thus:
Our Faith is grounded in Gods word, and it belongeth to our Faith th