Chapter 8

And as long as I saw this sight of the plenteous bleeding of the Head I might never cease from these words: Benedicite Domine!

As long as I saw the head bleeding so heavily, I could not stop saying: 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 them¹ 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.²

In this vision, I understood six things. The first is the signs of his blessed Passion and the abundant shedding of his precious blood. The second is the Virgin, his beloved Mother. The third is the blessed Godhead, who always was, is, and always will be: almighty, all wisdom, all love. The fourth is everything he has made. For I know well that heaven and earth and everything created are vast, beautiful, and good. But they appeared so small to me because I saw them in the presence of the Maker of all things. For to a soul that sees the Maker of all, everything created seems very small. The fifth is that he who made all things for love sustains them by that same love. And he will sustain them¹ without end. The sixth is that, as I see it, God is all that is good. And he is the goodness in everything.²

And all these our Lord shewed me in the first Sight, with time and space to behold it. And the bodily sight stinted,³ 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.

Our Lord showed me all these things in the first sight, giving me time and space to look at them. Then the bodily sight stopped,³ but the spiritual sight remained in my understanding. I remained in reverent awe, rejoicing in what I saw. As far as I dared, I wished to see more, if it was his will. Otherwise, I wished to see the same things for longer.

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 judged⁴ 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 I 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 God's sake, and counsel you for your own profit, that ye leave the beholding of a poor creature⁵ 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 God's will that ye take it with great joy and pleasance, as if Jesus had shewed it to you all.

Through all this, I was deeply moved by love for my fellow Christians. I wanted them to see and know what I saw, so that it might comfort them. For this whole vision was shown for everyone. Then I said to those around me: Today is Judgment Day for me. I said this because I thought I was going to die. (For as I understand it, on the day a person dies, they are judged for all eternity.) I said it so that they might love God more. I wanted to remind them how short this life is, as they could see from my example. For all this time I expected to die. This puzzled and partly troubled me, because I thought the vision was shown for those who would live. What I say about myself, I say on behalf of all my fellow Christians. For our Lord God taught me in the spiritual vision that he means it for everyone. So, for God's sake, I ask you all to look beyond the poor creature⁵ to whom it was shown. I also urge you, for your own good, to look with strength, wisdom, and humility at God. In his gracious love and endless goodness, he chose to show it for everyone, to comfort us all. For God wants you to receive it with great joy and delight, as if Jesus had shown it to you all.