Chapter 70

In all this blessed Shewing our good Lord gave understanding that the Sight should pass: which blessed Shewing the Faith keepeth, with His own good will and His grace. For He left with me neither sign nor token whereby I might know it, but He left with me His own blessed word in true understanding, bidding me full mightily that I should believe it. And so I do,—Blessed may He be!—I believe that He is our Saviour that shewed it, and that it is the Faith that He shewed: and therefore I believe it, rejoicing. And thereto I am bounden by all His own meaning, with the next words that follow: Keep thee therein, and comfort thee therewith, and trust thou thereto.

In all this blessed showing, our good Lord made it clear that the vision would pass. Faith keeps this blessed showing, with his own goodwill and grace. For he left me no sign or token by which I might know it. But he left me his own blessed word, truly understood, and strongly commanded me to believe it. And so I do. May he be blessed! I believe that he who showed it is our Saviour, and that what he showed is the faith. Therefore I believe it with joy. And all that he meant binds me to do so, along with the words that follow: Remain in it, take comfort in it, and trust in it.

Thus I am bounden to keep it in my faith. For on the same day that it was shewed, what time that the Sight was passed, as a wretch I forsook it, and openly I said that I had raved. Then our Lord Jesus of His mercy would not let it perish, but He showed it all again within in my soul¹ with more fulness, with the blessed light of His precious love: saying these words full mightily and full meekly: Wit it now well: it was no raving that thou sawest this day. As if He had said: For that the Sight was passed from thee, thou losedst it and hadst not skill to keep² it. But wit³ it now; that is to say, now that thou seest it. This was said not only for that same time, but also to set thereupon the ground of my faith when He saith anon following: But take it, believe it, and keep thee therein and comfort thee therewith and trust thou thereto; and thou shalt not be overcome.

So I am bound to hold the vision in faith. For on the same day it was shown to me, after the vision had passed, I wretchedly rejected it. I openly said that I had been delirious. Then our Lord Jesus, in his mercy, would not let the vision be lost. He showed it all again within my soul¹, more fully, in the blessed light of his precious love. He spoke these words with great power and great gentleness: Know this well now: what you saw today was no delirium. It was as if he had said: Because the vision passed from you, you lost it and did not know how to keep² it. But know³ it now, that is to say, now that you see it. He said this not only for that moment, but also to establish it as the foundation of my faith. For he went on to say: But accept it, believe it, hold fast to it, find comfort in it, and trust in it. And you shall not be overcome.

In these six words that follow (Take it—[etc.]) His meaning is to fasten it faithfully in our heart: for He willeth that it dwell with us in faith to our life's end, and after in fulness of joy, desiring that we have ever steadfast trust in His blissful behest—knowing His Goodness.

In the six words that follow (Take it, etc.), he means to fix it firmly in our hearts. For he wants it to remain with us in faith until the end of our lives, and afterward in fullness of joy. He wants us always to trust firmly in his blessed promise, knowing his goodness.

For our faith is contraried in diverse manners by our own blindness, and our spiritual enemy, within and without; and therefore our precious Lover helpeth us with spiritual sight and true teaching in sundry manners within and without, whereby that we may know Him. And therefore in whatsoever manner He teacheth us, He willeth that we perceive Him wisely, receive Him sweetly, and keep us in Him faithfully. For above the Faith is no goodness kept in this life, as to my sight, and beneath the Faith is no help of soul; but in the Faith, there willeth the Lord that we keep us. For we have by His goodness and His own working to keep us in the Faith; and by His sufferance through ghostly enmity we are assayed in the Faith and made mighty. For if our faith had none enmity, it should deserve no meed, according to the understanding that I have in all our Lord's teaching.

Our faith is challenged in many ways by our own blindness and by our spiritual enemy, both within and around us. Therefore, our precious Lover helps us with spiritual sight and true teaching, in many ways, both within and around us. Through these we may come to know him. So, however he teaches us, he wants us to recognize him wisely, receive him sweetly, and remain faithful to him. As I see it, no goodness is kept in this life above faith, and below faith there is no help for the soul. But our Lord wants us to remain in faith. For through his goodness and his own work, we can remain in faith. And with his permission, spiritual hostility tests our faith and makes us strong. For if our faith faced no opposition, it would deserve no reward. This is how I understand all our Lord’s teaching.