Chapter 34

Our Lord God shewed two manner of secret things. One is this great Secret [Counsel] with all the privy points that belong thereto: and these secret things He willeth we should know [as being, but as] hid until the time that He will clearly shew them to us. The other are the secret things that He willeth to make open and known to us; for He would have us understand that it is His will that we should know them. They are secrets to us not only for that He willeth that they be secrets to us, but they are secrets to us for our blindness and our ignorance; and thereof He hath great ruth, and therefore He will Himself make them more open to us, whereby we may know Him and love Him and cleave to Him. For all that is speedful for us to learn and to know, full courteously will our Lord shew us: and [of] that is this [Shewing], with all the preaching and teaching of Holy Church.

Our Lord God showed two kinds of secret things. One is this great Secret [Counsel], with all the hidden details that belong to it. He wants us to know [that these secret things exist, but are] hidden until he chooses to show them clearly to us. The other kind consists of secret things that he wants to reveal and make known to us. He wants us to understand that it is his will for us to know them. These things are secrets to us not only because he wants them to be, but also because of our blindness and ignorance. He has great compassion for us in this. So he will make these things clearer to us himself, so that we may know him, love him, and hold fast to him. For our Lord will very graciously show us all that is helpful for us to learn and know. This [Revelation], along with all the preaching and teaching of Holy Church, is part of what he shows us.

God shewed full great pleasance that He hath in all men and women that mightily and meekly and with all their will take the preaching and teaching of Holy Church. For it is His Holy Church: He is the Ground, He is the Substance, He is the Teaching, He is the Teacher, He is the End, He is the Meed for which every kind soul travaileth.

God showed how greatly he delights in all men and women who accept Holy Church’s preaching and teaching with strength, humility, and their whole will. For it is his Holy Church. He is its foundation and its substance. He is its teaching and its teacher. He is the goal and the reward for which every soul strives by its nature.

And this [of the Shewing] is [made] known, and shall be known to every soul to which the Holy Ghost declareth it. And I hope truly that all those that seek this, He shall speed: for they seek God.

And this [of the Showing] is [made] known, and will be known, to every soul to whom the Holy Spirit reveals it. And I truly hope that he will help all those who seek this, because they seek God.

All this that I have now told, and more that I shall tell after, is comforting against sin. For in the Third Shewing when I saw that God doeth all that is done, I saw no sin: and then I saw that all is well. But when God shewed me for sin, then said He: All shall be well.

All that I have told you now, and more that I will tell you later, is a comfort against sin. In the Third Showing, I saw that God does everything that is done, and I saw no sin. Then I saw that all is well. But when God showed me about sin, he said: All shall be well.