Chapter 65

And thus I understood that what man or woman with firm will¹ chooseth God in this life, for love, he may be sure that he is loved without end: which endless love worketh in him that grace. For He willeth that we be as assured in hope of the bliss of heaven while we are here, as we shall be in sureness while we are there. And ever the more pleasance and joy that we take in this sureness, with reverence and meekness, the better pleaseth Him, as it was shewed. This reverence that I mean is a holy courteous dread of our Lord, to which meekness is united: and that is, that a creature seeth the Lord marvellous great, and itself marvellous little. For these virtues are had endlessly by the loved of God, and this may now be seen and felt in measure through the gracious presence of our Lord when it is [seen]: which presence in all things is most desired, for it worketh marvellous assuredness in true faith, and sure hope, by greatness of charity, in dread that is sweet and delectable.

And so I understood that any man or woman who, with a firm will¹, chooses God out of love in this life may be sure of being loved forever. This endless love brings about that grace in them. For he wants us to be as sure in our hope of heaven’s joy while we are here as we shall be certain of it when we are there. And as it was shown, the more pleasure and joy we take in this assurance, with reverence and humility, the more it pleases him. By reverence I mean a holy, respectful awe of our Lord, joined with humility. In this reverence and humility, a creature sees the Lord as wonderfully great and itself as wonderfully small. For those loved by God have these virtues forever. And these virtues can now be seen and felt to some degree through the gracious presence of our Lord, when that presence is seen. His presence is what is most desired in all things. For through the greatness of love, his presence brings wonderful assurance in true faith and sure hope, with an awe that is sweet and delightful.

It is God's will that I see myself as much bound² to Him in love as if He had done for me all that He hath done; and thus should every soul think inwardly of its³ Lover. That is to say, the Charity of God maketh in us such a unity that, when it is truly seen, no man can part himself from other. And thus ought our soul to think that God hath done for it⁴ all that He hath done.

It is God's will that I see myself as deeply bound² to him in love as if he had done all that he has done for me alone. Every soul should think of its³ Lover in the same way. God's love creates such unity among us that, when we truly see it, no one can separate themselves from others. So each of us should think that God has done for our soul⁴ all that he has done.

And this sheweth He to make us to love Him and nought dread but Him. For it is His will that we perceive that all the might of our Enemy is taken into our Friend's hand; and therefore the soul that knoweth assuredly this, he⁵ shall not dread but Him that he loveth. All other dread he⁶ setteth among passions and bodily sickness and imaginations. And therefore though we be in so much pain, woe, and distress that it seemeth to us we can think [of] right nought but [of] that [which] we are in, or [of] that [which] we feel, [yet] as soon as we may, pass we lightly over, and set we it at nought. And why? For that God willeth we know [Him]; and if we know Him and love Him and reverently dread Him, we shall have peace, and be in great rest, and it shall be great pleasance to us, all that He doeth. And this shewed our Lord in these words: What should it then aggrieve thee to suffer awhile, sith it is my will and my worship?

He shows us this so that we may love him and fear nothing but him. For he wants us to understand that all our Enemy's power has been placed in our Friend's hand. So the soul who knows this for certain fears⁵ only the one he loves. He⁶ counts all other fear among passions, bodily sickness, and imagined troubles. And so, though we may suffer such pain, sorrow, and distress that we seem unable to think of anything else, we should let these troubles pass as soon as we can and regard them as nothing. Why? Because God wants us to know him. If we know him, love him, and fear him with reverence, we shall have peace and great rest. Everything he does shall give us great pleasure. Our Lord showed this in these words: Why should it trouble you to suffer for a while, since it is my will and brings me glory?

Now have I told you of Fifteen Revelations, as God vouchsafed to minister them to [my] mind, renewed by lightings and touchings, I hope of the same Spirit that shewed them all.

Now I have told you of fifteen revelations, as God graciously brought them to my mind. They were renewed by flashes of light and touches, I hope, from the same Spirit that showed them all.

Of which Fifteen Shewings the First began early in the morn, about the hour of four; and they lasted, shewing by process full fair and steadily, each following other, till it was nine of the day, overpassed.

The first of these fifteen visions began early in the morning, at about four o’clock. The visions unfolded beautifully and steadily, one after another, until after nine o’clock.