Chapter 13

And after this, ere God shewed any words, He suffered me for a convenient time to give heed unto Him and all that I had seen, and all intellect¹ that was therein, as the simplicity of the soul might take it.² Then He, without voice and opening of lips, formed in my soul these words: Herewith is the Fiend overcome. These words said our Lord, meaning His blessed Passion as He shewed it afore.

After this, before God revealed any words, he gave me time to attend to him and all I had seen. I also considered all the understanding¹ in what I had seen, as far as my simple soul could grasp it.² Then, without speaking or opening his lips, he formed these words in my soul: By this the Fiend is overcome. Our Lord said these words about his blessed Passion, as he had shown it earlier.

On this shewed our Lord that the Passion of Him is the overcoming of the Fiend. God shewed that the Fiend hath now the same malice that he had afore the Incarnation. And as sore he travaileth, and as continually he seeth that all souls of salvation escape him, worshipfully, by the virtue of Christ's precious Passion. And that is his sorrow, and full evil is he ashamed: for all that God suffereth him to do turneth [for] us to joy and [for] him to shame and woe. And he hath as much sorrow when God giveth him leave to work, as when he worketh not: and that is for that he may never do as ill as he would: for his might is all taken³ into God's hand.

In this, our Lord showed that his Passion overcomes the Fiend. God showed that the Fiend has the same malice now as he had before the Incarnation. He struggles just as hard, and he sees constantly that all souls destined for salvation escape him gloriously, through the power of Christ's precious Passion. This causes him sorrow, and he is deeply ashamed. For everything God allows him to do turns to joy for us and to shame and sorrow for him. He is just as sorrowful when God allows him to act as when he does not act. This is because he can never do as much evil as he wishes, for all his power is held³ in God's hand.

But in God there may be no wrath, as to my sight: for our good Lord endlessly hath regard to His own worship and to the profit of all that shall be saved. With might and right He withstandeth the Reproved, the which of malice and wickedness busy them to contrive and to do against God's will. Also I saw our Lord scorn his malice and set at nought his unmight; and He willeth that we do so. For this sight I laughed mightily, and that made them to laugh that were about me, and their laughing was a pleasure to me. I thought that I would that all mine even-Christians had seen as I saw, and then would they all laugh with me. But I saw not Christ laugh. For I understood that we may laugh in comforting of ourselves and joying in God for that the devil is overcome. And when I saw Him scorn his malice, it was by leading of mine understanding into our Lord: that is to say, it was an inward shewing of verity, without changing of look.⁴ For, as to my sight, it is a worshipful property of God's that [He] is ever the same.

But as I see it, there can be no wrath in God. For our good Lord is always mindful of his own glory and the good of all who shall be saved. With might and justice, he opposes the Reproved, who in malice and wickedness strive to plan and act against God’s will. I also saw our Lord scorn the devil’s malice and make nothing of his lack of power. And he wants us to do the same. At this sight I laughed heartily, and that made those around me laugh. Their laughter gave me pleasure. I wished that all my fellow Christians had seen what I saw. Then they would all have laughed with me. But I did not see Christ laugh. For I understood that we may laugh to comfort ourselves and rejoice in God because the devil is overcome. And when I saw him scorn the devil’s malice, my understanding was led into our Lord. In other words, it was an inward showing of truth, without any change in his expression.⁴ For as I see it, one of God’s glorious qualities is that he is always the same.

And after this I fell into a graveness,⁵ and said: I see three things: I see game, scorn, and earnest. I see [a] game, in that the Fiend is overcome; I see scorn, in that God scorneth him, and he shall be scorned; and I see earnest, in that he is overcome by the blissful Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ that was done in full earnest and with sober travail.

After this, I became serious,⁵ and said: I see three things: play, scorn, and seriousness. I see play in the Fiend’s defeat. I see scorn because God scorns the Fiend, and the Fiend will be scorned. And I see seriousness because the Fiend is defeated by the blessed Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. His suffering and death were wholly serious and involved solemn labor.

When I said, he is scorned,—I meant that God scorneth him, that is to say, because He seeth him now as he shall do without end. For in this [word] God shewed that the Fiend is condemned. And this meant I when I said: he shall be scorned: [he shall be scorned] at Doomsday, generally of all that shall be saved, to whose consolation he hath great ill-will.⁶ For then he shall see that all the woe and tribulation that he hath done to them shall be turned to increase of their joy, without end; and all the pain and tribulation that he would have brought them to shall endlessly go with him to hell.

When I said, he is scorned, I meant that God scorns him. God sees him now as he will see him forever. In this [word], God showed that the Fiend is condemned. This is what I meant when I said: he shall be scorned. [He shall be scorned] on Judgment Day by all who will be saved. He bears great ill will toward their consolation.⁶ For then he will see that all the suffering and hardship he has caused them will increase their joy forever. And all the pain and hardship he wanted to bring upon them will go with him to hell forever.