Norwich, Julian: Revelations of Divine Love (5 036 words)

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1

VII


2
3    Alle this blyssede techynge of oure lorde god was schewyd to
4me in thre partyes, that is be bodylye syght, and be worde
5formede in myne vndyrstandynge, & be gastelye syght. Botte
6the gastelye syght I maye nought ne can nought schewe it vnto
7ȝowe als oponlye & als fullye as I wolde. Botte I truste in
8oure lorde god allemyghtty that he schalle, of his goodnes and
9for ȝoure love, make ȝowe to take it mare gastelye and mare
10swetly than I can or maye telle it ȝowe, and so motte it be,
11for we are alle one in loove.
12    And in alle this I was mekylle styrrede in charyte to myne
13evyncrystene that thaye myght alle see and knawe þe same
14that I sawe, for I walde that it ware comforthe to thame

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15alle as it es to me. For this syght was schewyd in
16generalle & nathynge in specyalle. Of alle that I sawe,
17this was the maste comforthe to me: that oure lorde es so hamlye
18& so curtayse. And this maste fillyd me with lykynge &
19syekernes in saule.
20    Than sayde I to the folke that were with me, "Itt es todaye
21domesdaye with me", & this I sayde for I wenede to hafe dyed.
22For that daye that man or woman dyes ys he demyd as he schalle
23be withowtyn eende. This I sayde for y walde thaye lovyd god
24mare, & sette the lesse pryse be the vanite of the worlde, for
25to make thame to hafe mynde that this lyfe es schorte, as thaye
26myght se in ensampille be me. For in alle þis tyme I wenede to
27hafe dyed.
28
29

VIII


30
31    And aftyr this I sawe with bodely syght the face of the crucifixe
32that hange before me, in whilke I behelde contynuely a
33party of his passyon: despite, spittynge in, sowlynge of his
34bodye, & buffetynge in his blysfulle face; & manye langoures
35and paynes ma than I can telle, and ofte chaungynge of coloure,
36and alle his blyssede face atyme closede in dry blode. This I
37sawe bodylye & hevelye & derkelye, and I desyred mare bodelye
38lyght to hafe sene more clerelye. And I was aunswerde in my
39resone that ȝyf god walde schewe me mare he schulde, botte me
40nedyd na lyght botte hym.
41    And aftyr this I sawe god in a poynte, that es in myne vndyrstandynge,
42by whilke syght I sawe that he es in alle thynge.
43I behelde with vysemente, wittande and knawande in that syght
44that he dose alle that es done. I merveylede in this syght
45with a softe drede & thought, "Whate es synne?" For I sawe
46trulye that god dothe alle thynge, be itt nevere so litille;
47nor nathynge es done be happe ne be eventure, botte the endeles
48forluke of the wysdome of god. Wharefore me behovede nedes
49grawnte that alle thynge that es done es wele done, and I was

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50sekyr that god dose na synne. Þerfore it semed to me þat
51synne is nouȝt, for in alle thys synne
was nouȝt schewyd me.
52And y walde no lengyr mervelle of this, botte behalde oure
53lorde whate he wolde schewe me. & in anothyr tyme god schewyd
54me whate syne es nakydlye be the selfe as y schalle telle
55aftyrwarde.
56    And aftyr this I sawe behaldande the bodye plentevouslye bledande,
57hate & freschlye and lyfelye, ryȝt as I sawe before in
58the heede. And this was schewyd me in the semes of
59scowrgynge, and this ranne so plenteuouslye to my syght that
60me thought ȝyf itt hadde bene so in kynde for þat tyme, itt
61schulde hafe made the bedde alle on blode & hafe passede on
62abowte. God has made waterse plenteuouse in erthe to oure
63servyce and to owre bodylye eese, for tendyr love that he has
64to vs; botte ȝit lykes hym bettyr that we take fullye his
65blessede blode to wasche vs with of synne, for thare ys no
66lykoure that es made that hym lykes so welle to gyffe vs, for
67it is so plenteuouse and of oure kynde.
68    And aftyr this, or god schewyd me any wordes, he suffyrde
69me to behalde langere and alle that I hadde seene & alle that
70was thereyn. And than was withowtyn voyce & withowte openynge
71of lyppes formede in my sawlle this worde, "Herewith ys the
72feende ouercomyn". This worde sayde oure lorde menande his
73passyon, as he schewyd me before.
74    In this oure lorde brought vnto my mynde & schewyd me a perte
75of the fendys malyce & fully his vnmyght, and for that he
76schewyd me that the passyon of hym is ouercomynge of the fende.
77God schewyd me that he hase nowe the same malyce that he had
78before the incarnacyon, and als sare he travayles & als contynuelye
79he sees that alle chosene saules eschapes hym worschipfullye,

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80and that es alle his sorowe. For alle that god
81suffers hym do turnes thame to ioye & hym to payne & to
82schame, and he has als mekylle sorowe when god gyffes hym leve
83to wyrke as when he werkys nought, and that es for he maye
84nevere do als ille as he wolde, for his myght es alle lokene
85in goddys hande. Also I sawe oure lorde scorne his malyce
86and nought hym, and he wille that we do the same. For this
87syght I lughȝ myghttelye, and that made tham to laughȝ that
88were abowte me, and thare laughynge was lykynge to me. I
89thought y wolde myne evyncristene hadde sene as I sawe; than
90schulde thaye alle hafe laughyn with me. Botte I sawe nouȝt
91cryste laughȝ. Neuerthelesse hym lykes that we laughȝ in comfortynge
92of vs, & er ioyande in god, for the feende ys ouercomyn.
93    & aftyr this I felle into a saddehete & sayde, "I see thre
94thynges: game, scorne, and arneste. I see game that the feende
95ys ouercomen, and I see scorne that god scornes hym
96and he schalle be scornede, and I see arneste that he es ouercomen
97be the passion of oure lorde Ihesu cryste & be his dede
98that was done ful erneste & with sadde travayle". Aftyr this
99oure lorde sayde, "I thanke the of thy servyce & of thy trauayle,
100& namly in þi ȝough".
101
102

IX


103
104    God schewyd me thre degrees of blysse that ylke saule schalle
105hafe in hevene that wilfullye hase servyd god in any degree
106heere in erthe. The fyrste is the wyrschipfulle thankkynge
107of owre lorde god that he schalle resayfe when he es delyuerede
108fro payne. This thanke is so hyȝe and so wyrschipfulle
109that hym thynke it fylles hym þowȝ þare ware no mare blys: for
110me thought that alle the payne & travayle that myght be suffyrde
111of alle lyffande men myght nought hafe deservede the
112thanke that a man schalle hafe that wylfullye has servydde

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113god. For the seconde, that alle the blyssede creatures þat
114er in hevene schalle see that worschipfulle thankynge of oure
115lorde god, & he makys his servyce to alle that er in heuen
116knawen. And for the thyrde, that als new ande als lykande
117as it es resayvede that tyme, ryght so schalle itt laste withowten
118ende: I sawe that goodelye and swetlye was this sayde
119& schewyd to me, that þe age of euerylk man schalle be knawen
120in heuen and rewardyd for his wilfulle seruyce and for his
121tyme, and namelye the age of thame þat wilfullye and frelye
122offers thare ȝought vnto god es passande rewardede & wondyrlye
123thankkyd.
124    And aftyr this oure lorde schewyd me a souerayne gastelye lykkynge
125in my sawlle. In this lykynge I was fulfillyd of euerlastande
126sekernesse, myghtlye festnede withowtyn any drede.
127This felynge was so gladde to me and so goodly that I was in
128peez, in ese, and in ryste, so that þere was nothynge in erthe
129that schulde hafe grevyd me. This lastyd botte a while, and
130I was turnede & lefte to myselfe in hevynes and werynesse of
131myselfe and yrkesumnesse of my lyfe, that vnnethes I cowthe
132hafe pacyence to lyeve. Thare was none ese ne na comforthe to
133my felynge botte hope, faythe, and charyte, and this y hadde
134in trowthe botte fulle lytille in felynge.
135    And anone aftyr, god gafe me agayne the comforth and
136the reste in saule, likynge and syekyrnesse so blysfulle & so
137myghtty þat no drede, no sorowe, no payne bodylye no gastelye
138that myght be sufferde schulde have dissesede me. And than
139the payne schewyd agayne to my felynge, and than the ioye and
140the lykynge, & than the tane & nowe the tothere dyverse
141tymes I suppose abowte twentye sythes. And in the tyme of
142ioye I myght hafe sayde with Paule, Nathynge schalle departe
143me fro the charyte of cryste. And in payne y myght hafe sayde
144with saynte Petyr, Lorde save me, I perysche.
145    Þis vision was schewyd me to lere me atte my vndyrstandynge

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146þat it es nedefulle to ylke man to feele on this wyse: sumtyme
147to be in comforthe & sumtyme to fayle & be lefte to hymselfe.
148God wille that we knowe that he kepes vs euerelyke syekyr in
149wele and in woo, & als mykille loves vs in woo as in weele. &
150sumtyme, for the profytte of his saule, a man es lefte to hymselfe
151& to whethere symme es nought the cause. For in this
152tyme I synnede nought wherefore I schulde be lefte to myselfe,
153ne also I deseruede nouȝt to hafe this blysfulle felynge.
154Botte frelye god gyffez wele when hym lykes, and suffers vs
155in wa sumtyme. And bothe es of love: for it is god ys wille
156that we halde vs in comforthe with alle oure myght, for blys
157es lastande withowtyn ende and payn es passande & schalle be
158brought to nought. Therefore it es nought goddys wille that
159we folowe the felynges of payne in sorowynge and in mournynge
160for thaim , botte sodaynlye passe on & halde vs in endelesse
161lykynge that es god allemyghtty oure lovere & kepare.
162
163

X


164
165    Aftyr this cryste schewyd me a partye of his passyone nere his
166dyinge. I sawe that swete faace as yt ware drye and bludyelesse
167with pale dyinge, sithen mare dede pale langourande;
168and than turnede more dede to the blewe, & sithene mare blewe
169as the flesche turnede mare deepe dede. For alle the paynes
170that cryste sufferde in his bodye schewyd to me in the blyssede
171faace als farfurthe as I sawe it, and namelye in the lyppes.
172Thare I sawe this foure colourse, thaye that I sawe beforehande,
173freschlye & ruddy , lyflye & lykande to my syght.
174    This was a hevy chaunge to see this deepe dyinge, and
175also the nese claungede and dryed to my sight. This lange pynnynge
176semede to me as he hadde bene a seuen nyght dede, allewaye
177sufferande payne. & me thought the dryinge of crystes
178flesche was the maste payne of his passion, and the laste. And
179in this dryhede was brouȝt to my mynde this worde that cryste

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180sayde, "I thryste". For I sawe in criste a doubille thyrste,
181ane bodylye, ane othere gastelye. This worde was schewyd to
182me for the bodylye thirste, and for the gastelye thyrste was
183schewyd to me als I schalle saye eftyrwarde. And I vndyrstode
184of bodelye thyrste that the bodye hadde of faylynge of moystere,
185for the blessede flesche & banes ware lefte allane withowtyn
186blode & moystere. The blyssyd bodye dryede alle ane
187lange tyme with wryngynge of the nayles and paysynge of the
188hede and weyght of the bodye, with blawynge of wynde fra
189withoutyn that dryed mare and pyned hym with calde mare than
190myn herte can thynke, & alle othere paynes.
191    Swilke paynes I sawe that alle es to litelle þat y can telle
192or saye, for itt maye nouȝt be tolde. Botte ylke saule aftere
193the sayinge of saynte Pawle schulde feele in hym þat in criste
194Ihesu. This schewynge of criste paynes fillyd me fulle of
195paynes, for I wate weele he suffrede nouȝt botte aneȝ, botte
196as he walde schewe yt me and fylle me with mynde as I hadde
197desyrede before.
198    My modere that stode emangys othere and behelde me lyftyd vppe
199hir hande before me face to lokke myn eyen, for sche wenyd I
200had bene dede or els I hadde dyede. And this encresyd mekille
201my sorowe, for nouȝtwithstandynge alle my paynes, I wolde nouȝt
202hafe been lettyd for loove that I hadde in hym. And to whethere
203in alle this tyme of crystes presence I felyd no payne
204botte for cristes paynes, þan thouȝt me I knewe ful lytylle
205whate payne it was that I askyd. For me thought that my paynes
206passede any bodylye dede; I thouȝt, "Es any payne in helle
207lyke this payne?" And I was aunswerde in my resone that dyspayre
208ys mare for that es gastelye payne. Bot bodilye payne
209es nane mare than this: howe myght my payne be more than to
210see hym that es alle my lyfe, alle my blys, & alle mye
211ioye suffyr? Here felyd I sothfastlye that y lovede criste
212so mekille abouen myselfe that me thought it hadde beene a

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213grete eese to me to hafe dyede bodylye.
214    Hereyn I sawe in partye the compassyon of oure ladye saynte
215Marye, for criste & scho ware so anede in loove that þe gretnesse
216of hir loove was the cause of the mykillehede of hir
217payne. For so mykille as scho lovyd hym mare than alle othere,
218her payne passed alle othere, and so alle his disciples & alle
219his trewe lovers suffyrde paynes mare than thare awne bodelye
220dying. For I am sekyr be myn awne felynge that the leste of
221thame luffed hym mare than thaye dyd thamselfe.
222    Here I sawe a grete anynge betwyx criste and vs, for when
223he was in payne, we ware in payne, and alle creatures that
224myght suffyr payne soffyrde with hym. And thaye that knewe
225hym nouȝt, this was thare payne, that alle creatures, sonne &
226the mone, withdrewe thare seruyce, and so ware thaye alle
227lefte in sorowe for the tyme. And thus thaye that lovyd hym
228sufferde payne for luffe, & thay that luffyd hym nought sufferde
229payne for faylynge of comforthe of alle creatures.
230    In this tyme I walde hafe lokyd besyde the crosse botte I
231durste nouȝt, for I wyste wele whilys I lukyd vppon the crosse
232I was sekyr and safe. Therfore I walde nought assente to
233putte my sawle in perille, for besyde the crosse was na syekernesse,
234botte vglynesse of feendes. Than hadde I a profyr
235in my resone as ȝyf it hadde beene frendelye. It sayde to
236me, "Luke vppe to heven to his fadere". Than sawe I wele,
237with the faythe that y felyd, that thare ware nathynge betwyx
238the crosse & heuen that myght hafe desesyd me, and othere me
239behovyd loke vppe or els aunswere. I answerde & sayde, "Naye,
240I may nought, for thowe erte myne heuen". This I sayde for I
241walde nouȝt, for I hadde levyr hafe bene in that payne to
242domysdaye than hafe comen to hevene otherewyse that be hym.
243For I wyste wele he that bought me so sare schulde vnbynde me
244when he walde.

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245    Thus chese I Ihesu for my heuen wham I saw onlye in payne
246at that tyme. Me lykede no nothere hevene than Ihesu
247whilke schalle be my blysse when I am thare. And this has
248euer beene a comforthe to me, that I chesyd Ihesu to my hevene
249in alle this tyme of passyon and of sorowe; and that has
250beene a lernynge to me, that I schulde euermare do so and chese
251anly hym to my heuen, in wele and in wa. And thus sawe I my
252lorde Ihesu langoure lange tyme, for the anynge of the godhede
253for love gafe strenght to the manhede to suffyr mare than alle
254men myght. I mene nought anly mare payne anly than alle men
255myght suffyr, bot also that he suffyrde mare payne than alle
256men that euer was fra the fyrste begynnynge to the laste daye.
257    No tonge maye telle, ne herte fully thynke, the paynes that
258oure savyoure sufferde for vs, haffande rewarde to the worthynes
259of the hyest worschipfulle kynge and to the schamefulle,
260dyspyttous & paynfulle dede. For he that was hieste & worthyest
261was fullyest noghthede & witterlyest dyspyside. Botte the
262loue that made hym to suffere alle this, itt passes als fare
263alle his payns as heuen es abouen erthe. For the paynes was
264a dede done in a tyme be the wyrkynge of love, botte luffe
265was withowtyn begynnynge, & es and evere schalle be withowtyn
266any ende.
267    And sodaynlye, me behaldande in the same crosse, he chaunchede
268into blysfulle chere: the chawngynge of his chere chaungyd
269myne, and I was alle gladde & mery as yt was possybille. Than
270brought oure lorde merelye to my mynde, "Whate es any poynte
271of thy payne or of þy grefe?" And I was fulle merye.
272
273

XII


274
275    Than sayde oure lorde, askande, "Arte thou wele payde that I
276suffyrde for the?" "Ȝa, goode lorde", quod I. "Gramercy
277goode lorde, blissyd mut thowe be". "Ȝyf thowe be payede",

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278guod oure lorde, "I am payede. It es a ioye and a blysse and
279ane endlesse, lykynge to me that euer y suffyrde passyon for
280the, for ȝyf I myght suffyr mare, I walde suffyr".
281    In this felynge myne vndyrstandynge was lyftyd vppe into heuen,
282and thare I sawe thre hevens of the whilke syght I was gretlye
283merveylede, and thought, "I sawe thre hevens, and alle
284of the blessyd manhede of cryste; and nane is mare, nane is
285lesse, nane is hiare, nane is lawere, botte evene like in
286blysse".
287    For the fyrste heuen schewed criste me his fadere, bot in na
288bodelye lyknesse, botte in his properte and in his lykynge.
289The wyrkynge of the fadere it is this: that he gyffes mede
290tille his sone Ihesu criste. This gyfte and this mede is so
291blysfulle to Ihesu that his fadere myght haffe gyffene na
292mede that myght hafe likede hym bettere. For the first heuen,
293that is blissynge of the fadere, schewed to me as a heuen, and
294itt was fulle blysfulle. For he is fulle blyssede with alle
295the dedes that he has done abowȝte oure saluacyon, wharefore
296we ere nought anely his thurgh byingge, botte also be the curtayse
297gyfte of his fadere. We ere his blysse, we er his mede,
298we er his wyrschippe, we er his crowne.
299    This that I saye is soo grete blysse to Ihesu that he settys
300atte nought his travayle, and his harde passion, and cruelle
301and schamefulle dede. And in this wordes: ȝyf I myght suffyr
302mare, I walde suffyr mare, I sawe sothly that ȝif he myght dye
303als ofte als fore euerilke man anes that schalle be safe as he
304dyed anes for alle, love schulde neuer late hym hafe reste to
305he hadde done it. And when he hadde done it, he walde sette
306it atte nought for luff, for alle thynge hym botte litylle
307in regarde of his love. And that schewed he me wele sobarly ,
308sayande this worde: ȝyffe I myght suffere mare. He sayde
309nought, ȝif it ware nedfulle to suffyr mare, botte ȝif I myght
310suffyr mare. For thowȝ it be nought nedefulle and he myght
311suffyr mare, mare he walde. This dede and this werke abowte
312oure saluacyon was als wele as he myght ordayne it, it was

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313done als wyrschipfullye as cryste myght do it. And in this I
314sawe a fulle blysse in cryste, botte this blysse schulde nought
315hafe bene done fulle ȝyf it myght any bettere hafe bene done
316þan it was done.
317    And in this thre wordes, It is a ioye, a blysse, and ane endeles
318likynge to me, ware schewed to me thre hevens as thus: for
319the ioye I vndyrstode the plesaunce of the fadere; for the
320blysse, the wirschippe of the sone; and for the endeles lykynge,
321the haly gaste. The fadere is plesed, the sone ys worschippyd,
322the haly gaste lykes. Ihesu wille that we take heede to this
323blysse that is in the blyssedfulle trinite of oure saluacion,
324and that we lyke als mekylle with his grace whyles we
325er here. And this was schewyd me in þis worde: Erte þow wele
326payed?
327    Be the tothere worde that cryste sayde, ȝyf þou be payed I am
328payd, he schewed me the vndyrstandynge as ȝyf he had sayde:
329It is ioye and lykynge enough to me, and I aske nought els
330for my travayle botte that I myght paye the. Plentyuoslye and
331fully was this schewyd to me. Thynke also wyselye of the gretnesse
332of this worde: That euer I suffred passion for the, for
333in that worde was a hye knawynge of luffe and of lykynge that
334he hadde in oure saluacion.
335
336

XIII


337
338    Fulle merelye and gladlye oure lorde lokyd into his syde and
339behelde and sayde this worde, "Loo, how I lovyd the", as ȝyf
340he hadde sayde: My childe, ȝyf thow kan nought loke in my godhede,
341see heere howe I lette opyn my syde, and my herte be clovene
342in twa, and lette oute blude and watere alle þat was thareyn.
343And this lykes me, and so wille I that it do the. This
344schewed oure lorde me to make vs gladde and mery.
345    And with the same chere and myrthe he loked downe on the ryght
346syde and brought to my mynde whare oure ladye stode in the
347tyme of his passion, and sayde, "Wille thowe see hir?" And

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348I aunswerde and sayde, "Ȝa goode lorde, gramercy, ȝyf it be
349thy wille". Ofte tymes I prayed it, and wened to haffe sene
350here in bodely lykenes, botte I sawe hir nought soo. And
351Ihesu in þat worde schewed me a gastelye syght of hire. Ryght
352as I hadde before sene hire litille and sympille, ryght so he
353schewed here than, hye and nobille and gloriouse and plesaunte
354to hym abouen alle creatures.
355    And so he wille that it be knawyn that alle tha that lykes in
356hym schulde lyke in hire, and in the lykynge that he hase in
357hire, and scho in hym. And in that worde that Ihesu sayde:
358Wille þou see hire? me thought I hadde the maste lykynge that
359he myght hafe gyffen me, with the gastelye schewynge that he
360gafe me of hire; for oure lorde schewed me nothynge in specyalle
361botte oure lady saynte Marye, and here he schewyd me in
362thre tymes. The fyrste was as sche consayved, the seconde was
363as scho were in hire sorowes vndere the crosse, and the thryd
364as scho is nowe: in lykynge, wirschippe, and ioye.
365    And eftyr this oure lorde schewyd hym to me mare gloryfyed as
366to my syght than I sawe hym before, and in this was I lered
367that ilke saule contemplatyfe to whilke es gyffen to luke and
368seke god schalle se hire and passe vnto god by contemplacion.
369And eftyr this techynge, hamelye, curtayse, and blysfulle and
370verray lyfe, ofte tymes oure lorde Ihesu sayde to me, "I it am
371that is hiaste. I it am that þou luffes. I it am that thowe
372lykes. I it am that þowe serves. I it am þat þou langes. I it
373am that þowe desyres. I it am that thowe menes. I it am þat
374is alle. I it am that haly kyrke preches the and teches the.
375I it am that schewed me are to the". Thies wordes I declare
376nought botte for ilke man, eftyr the grace that god gyffes hym
377in vndyrstandynge and lovynge, resayfe tham in oure lordes
378menynge.
379    And eftyr, oure lorde brought vnto my mynde the langynge that
380I hadde to hym before. And I sawe that nathynge letted me
381bot syn; and so I behelde generallye in vs alle, and me thought,
382"Ȝyf syn hadde nought bene, we schulde alle hafe bene clene and
383lyke to oure lorde, as he made vs". And thus in my folye, before
384this tyme, ofte I wondrede why, be the grete forseande

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385wysdome of god, syn was nought lettede, for than thought me
386that alle schulde hafe bene wele. This styrrynge was mekylle
387to forsayke, and mournynge and sorowe I made therfore withoutyn
388resone and dyscrecion, of fulle grete pryde.
389    Neuerthelesse Ihesu in this vision enfourmede me of alle that
390me neded. I saye nought that me nedes na mare techynge, for
391oure lorde, with the schewynge of this, hase lefte me to haly
392kyrke; and I am hungery and thyrstye and nedy and synfulle
393and freele, & wilfully submyttes me to the techynge of haly
394kyrke, with alle myne euencrysten, into the ende of my lyfe.
395He aunswerde be this worde and sayde, "Synne is behouelye".
396In this worde, Synne, oure lorde brought to my mynde generallye
397alle that is nought goode: the schamefulle dyspyte and
398the vtter noghtynge that he bare for vs in this lyfe and in
399his dyinge, and alle the paynes and passyons of alle his creatures,
400gastelye and bodelye. For we ere alle in party noghted,
401and we schulde be noghted folowande oure maister Ihesu to we
402be fulle purgede, that is to say to we be fully noghted
403of oure awne dedely flesche, and of alle oure inwarde affeccions
404whilke ere nought goode.
405    And the behaldynge of this, with alle the paynes that euer
406ware or euer schalle be, alle this was schewed me in a toch
407and redely passed ouere into comforth, for oure goode lorde
408god walde noght that the saule ware afferdede of this vglye
409syght. Bott I sawe noght synne, fore I lefe it has na manere
410of substaunce, na partye of beynge, na it myght nought be knawen
411bot be the paynes that it is cause of. And this payne, it
412is sumthynge as to my syght, for a tyme: for it purges vs and
413makes vs to knawe oureselfe and aske mercy.
414    For the passion of oure lorde is comforth to vs agaynes alle
415this, and so is his blyssyd wille. To alle that schalle be
416saffe, he comfortes redely and swetlye be his wordes, and says,
417"Botte alle schalle be wele, and alle maner of thynge schalle
418be wele". Thyes wordes ware schewed wele tenderlye, schewande

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419na manere of blame to me, na to nane that schalle be safe.
420Than were it a grete vnkyndenesse of me to blame or wondyr of
421god for my synnes, syn he blames not me for synne. Thus I
422sawe howe cryste has compassyon of vs for the cause of synne,
423and ryght as I was before with the passyon of cryste fulfilled
424with payne and compassion, lyke in þis I was in party fyllyd
425with compassion
of alle myn euencristene; and than sawe I
426that ylke kynde compassyone that man hase of his evencristene
427with chartye, þat it is criste in hym.
428
429

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430
431    Bot in this ȝe schalle studye: behaldande generallye, dredelye,
432& mournande, sayande thus to oure lorde in my menynge
433with fulle grete drede, "A, goode lorde, howe myght alle be
434wele for the grete harme that is comon by synne to thy creatures?"
435And I desired as I durste to hafe sum mare open declarynge
436wharewith I myght be hesyd in this. And to this oure
437blyssede lorde aunswerde fulle mekelye and with fulle lovelye
438chere, and schewed me that Adames synne was the maste harme
439that euer was done or ever schalle to the warldes ende, and
440also he schewed me that this is opynly knawyn in alle haly
441kyrke in erthe. Forthermare he lered me that I schulde behalde
442the gloriouse asethe, for this aseth-makynge is mare
443plesande to the blissede godhede and mare wyrschipfulle to
444mannes saluacion withowtene comparyson than euer was the
445synne of Adam harmfulle.
446    Þanne menes oure lorde blyssede thus in this techynge,
447that we schulde take hede to this: "For sen I hafe made
448wele the maste harme, it is my wille that þowe knawe þerby
449that I schalle make wele alle that is the lesse". He gaffe
450me vndyrstandynge of twa partyes. The ta party is oure saviour
451and oure saluacion. This blyssed party is opyn and
452clere and fayre and lyght and plentious, for alle mankynde
453that is of goode wille or þat schalle be es comprehendyd in

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454this partye. Hereto ere we byddyn of god and drawen and consayled
455and lered inwardlye be the haly gaste & outwarde by
456haly kyrke by the same grace. In this wille oure lorde that
457we be occupyed, enioyande in hym, for he enioyes in vs. And
458þe mare plentyuouslye that we take of this with reuerence and
459mekenesse, the mare we deserve thanke of hym and the mare spede
460to oureselfe. And thus maye we saye, enioyande, Oure parte
461is oure lorde.
462    The tother parte is spared fro vs and hidde, that is to saye,
463alle that is besyde oure saluacion. For this is oure lordys
464prive consayles & it langes to þe ryalle lordeschyp of god
465for to haue his prive consayles
in pees, and it langes to his
466seruauntys for obedyence and reuerence nought to wille witte
467his councelle. Oure lorde has pite and compassyon of vs for
468that sum creatures makes tham so besy þeryn, and I am sekyr
469ȝyf we wyste howe mekille we schulde plese hym and ese oureselfe
470for to lefe it, we walde. The sayntes in heuen wille
471nathynge witte bot that oure lorde wille schewe thame, and
472also there charyte and þer desyre is rewlyd eftyr the wille
473of oure lorde. And þus awe we to wille ne to be lyke to hym,
474and than schalle we nathynge wille ne desyre botte the wille
475of oure lorde, as he does, for we er alle ane in goddys menynge.
476And here was I lered that we schalle anely enioye in
477oure blissid sauiour Ihesu & trist in hym for alle thynge.