Chapter 12

And after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in seeming of¹ 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.² And this was so plenteous, to my sight, that methought if it had been so in kind³ and in substance at that time, it should have made the bed all one blood, and have passed over about.

After this, I saw the body bleeding heavily, as though from¹ the Scourging. Sharp blows had broken the fair skin deep into the tender flesh all over the sweet body. The hot blood flowed so freely that neither skin nor wounds could be seen. It was as if the whole body were blood. When the blood reached the place where it would have fallen, it vanished. Even so, the bleeding continued for a while, so that it could be seen and considered.² To me, the bleeding seemed so heavy that I thought it would have covered the whole bed in blood and flowed over its sides, if it had been real³ and physical at that time.

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 water⁴ 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.

Then I remembered that God has made water plentiful on earth for our use and bodily comfort, because he loves us tenderly. But he is even more pleased when we receive his blessed blood with complete trust to wash away our sins. For there is no water⁴ he has made that he is so pleased to give us. His blood is as plentiful as it is precious, through the power of his blessed divinity. It shares our human nature and belongs to us in perfect bliss through the power 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 number⁵ that faileth.

The beloved blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is as abundant as it is precious. Look and see! His precious, abundant blood descended into Hell, broke its bonds, and freed all who were there and belonged to the Court of Heaven. His precious, abundant blood overflows the whole Earth. It is ready to wash away the sins of all creatures of goodwill who are, have been, or shall be. His precious, abundant blood ascended into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ. There, in him, it bleeds and prays for us to the Father. It does so and shall continue to do so for as long as it is needed. Indeed, it shall always do so for as long as it is needed. It flows forever throughout all the heavens, rejoicing in the salvation of all mankind who are there and shall be there. They complete the number⁵ that is lacking.