Chapter 36

Our Lord God shewed that a deed shall be done, and Himself shall do it, and I shall do nothing but sin, and my sin shall not hinder¹ His Goodness working. And I saw that the beholding of this is a heavenly joy in a fearing soul which evermore kindly by grace desireth God's will. This deed shall be begun here, and it shall be worshipful to God and plenteously profitable to His lovers in earth; and ever as we come to Heaven we shall see it in marvellous joy, and it shall last thus in working unto the last Day; and the worship and the bliss of it shall last in Heaven afore God and all His Holy [ones] for ever.

Our Lord God showed me that a deed will be done, and he himself will do it. I will do nothing but sin, and my sin will not hinder¹ his goodness from working. I saw that contemplating this brings heavenly joy to a soul that fears God and, by grace, always naturally desires his will. This deed will begin here, and it will bring glory to God and great benefit to his lovers on earth. As we come to Heaven, we will see it with wonderful joy. The deed will continue until the last Day. And its glory and bliss will last forever in Heaven, before God and all his holy ones.

Thus was this deed seen and understood in our Lord's signifying: and the cause why He shewed it is to make us rejoice in Him and in all His works. When I saw His Shewing continued, I understood that it was shewed for a great thing that was for to come, which thing God shewed that He Himself should do it: which deed hath these properties aforesaid. And this shewed He well blissfully, signifying that I should take it myself faithfully and trustingly.

This is how the deed was seen and understood in what our Lord revealed. He showed it to make us rejoice in him and in all his works. When I saw that his revelation continued, I understood that it foretold a great thing to come. God showed that he himself would do this deed, which has the qualities described above. He showed this most joyfully, indicating that I should receive it myself with faith and trust.

But what this deed should be was kept secret from me.

But what this deed would be was kept secret from me.

And in this I saw that He willeth not that we dread to know the things that He sheweth: He sheweth them because He would have us know them; by which knowing He would have us love Him and have pleasure and endlessly enjoy in Him. For the great love that He hath to us He sheweth us all that is worshipful and profitable for the time. And the things that He will now have privy, yet of His great goodness He sheweth them close: in which shewing He willeth that we believe and understand that we shall see the same verily in His endless bliss. Then ought we to rejoice in Him for all that He sheweth and all that He hideth; and if we steadily² and meekly do thus, we shall find therein great ease; and endless thanks we shall have of Him therefor.

And in this I saw that he does not want us to be afraid to know what he shows us. He shows us these things because he wants us to know them. Through knowing them, he wants us to love him, take pleasure in him, and enjoy him endlessly. Because of his great love for us, he shows us all that is worthy of reverence and useful at the time. And the things he wants to keep secret for now, he still shows us in a hidden way, in his great goodness. By showing us these things, he wants us to believe and understand that we shall truly see them in his endless bliss. So we should rejoice in him for all that he shows us and all that he hides. If we do this steadfastly² and humbly, we shall find great comfort in it. And he will thank us endlessly for it.

And this is the understanding of this word:—That it shall be done for me, meaneth that it shall be done for the general Man: that is to say, all that shall be saved. It shall be worshipful and marvellous and plenteous, and God Himself shall do it; and this shall be the highest joy that may be, to behold the deed that God Himself shall do, and man shall do right nought but sin. Then signifieth our Lord God thus, as if He said: Behold and see! Here hast thou matter of meekness, here hast thou matter of love, here hast thou matter to make nought of³ thyself, here hast thou matter to enjoy in me;—and, for my love, enjoy [thou] in me: for of all things, therewith mightest thou please me most.

This is what these words mean: what will be done for me will be done for all humanity, that is, all who will be saved. It will be glorious, marvelous, and abundant, and God himself will do it. The greatest possible joy will be to see what God himself will do, while human beings do nothing but sin. Our Lord God means this, as if he said: Look and see! Here you have reason for humility. Here you have reason for love. Here you have reason to count yourself as nothing³. Here you have reason to rejoice in me. For my love, rejoice in me, for nothing you could do would please me more.

And as long as we are in this life, what time that we by our folly turn us to the beholding of the reproved, tenderly our Lord God toucheth us and blissfully calleth us, saying in our soul: Let be all thy love, my dearworthy child: turn thee to me—I am enough to thee—and enjoy in thy Saviour and in thy salvation. And that this is our Lord's working in us, I am sure the soul that hath understanding⁴ therein by grace shall see it and feel it.

As long as we are in this life, we may foolishly turn our attention to what is condemned. Whenever we do, our Lord God touches us tenderly and calls us joyfully, saying in our soul: Let go of all your love, my dear child. Turn to me. I am enough for you. Rejoice in your Saviour and in your salvation. I am sure this is our Lord working in us. And the soul that understands⁴ this through grace will see and feel it.

And though it be so that this deed be truly taken for the general Man, yet it excludeth not the special. For what our good Lord will do by His poor creatures, it is now unknown to me.

Although this deed rightly applies to humanity as a whole, it does not exclude individuals. For I do not yet know what our good Lord will do through his poor creatures.

But this deed and that other aforesaid, they are not both one but two sundry. This deed shall be done sooner (and that [time] shall be as we come to Heaven), and to whom our Lord giveth it, it may be known here in part. But that Great Deed aforesaid shall neither be known in Heaven nor earth till it is done.

But this deed and the other deed mentioned earlier are not the same. They are two different deeds. This deed will be done sooner (when we come to Heaven). Those to whom our Lord grants it may know it partly here. But the Great Deed mentioned earlier will not be known in Heaven or on earth until it is done.

And moreover He gave special understanding and teaching of working of miracles, as thus:—It is known that I have done miracles here afore, many and diverse, high and marvellous, worshipful and great. And so as I have done, I do now continually, and shall do in coming of time.

Moreover, he gave special understanding and teaching about how he works miracles: It is known that I have performed many different miracles before now. They were lofty and marvelous, worthy of worship and great. Just as I have done, I do continually now, and I will continue to do in the future.

It is known that afore miracles come sorrow and anguish and tribulation⁵; and that is for that we should know our own feebleness and our mischiefs that we are fallen in by sin, to meeken us and make us to dread God and cry for help and grace. Miracles come after that, and they come of the high Might, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, shewing His virtue and the joys of Heaven so far at it may be in this passing life: and that to strengthen our faith and to increase our hope, in charity. Wherefore it pleaseth Him to be known and worshipped in miracles. Then signifieth He thus: He willeth that we be not borne over low for sorrow and tempests that fall to us: for it hath ever so been afore miracle-coming.

It is known that sorrow, anguish, and suffering⁵ come before miracles. They come so that we may know our own weakness and the troubles we have fallen into through sin. They humble us and make us fear God and cry out for help and grace. Miracles come afterward, from God’s supreme power, wisdom, and goodness. They show his power and the joys of heaven, as far as is possible in this passing life. They strengthen our faith and increase our hope in love. For this reason, it pleases God to be known and worshipped through miracles. In this way, he shows that he does not want us to be too weighed down by sorrow and troubles. For such things have always come before miracles.