Adam synne was gretest, but the satisfaction for it is more plesyng to God than ever was the synne harmfull. Twenty-ninth chapter.
The Great Harm and the Greater Satisfaction
Julian questions how all can be well given the harm of sin, and God reveals that Adam's sin was the greatest harm, but the satisfaction made by Christ is far more pleasing and beneficial, ensuring that all lesser harms will also be made well.
But in this I stood looking generally, sorrowfully and mourning, saying thus to our Lord in my mind with very great dread: "Ah, good Lord, how can all be well, given the great harm that has come by sin to the creatures?"1 And here I desired, as far as I dared, to have some clearer explanation by which I might be eased in this. And to this our blissful Lord answered very meekly and with a most loving countenance, and showed that Adam's sin was the greatest harm that ever was done, or ever shall be, until the world's end.2 And also He showed that this is openly known in all Holy Church on earth. Furthermore He taught that I should behold the glorious satisfaction, for this making of satisfaction is more pleasing to God and more honorable for man's salvation, beyond comparison, than Adam's sin was ever harmful.3 Then our blessed Lord means this in this teaching, that we should take heed to this: For since I have made well the greatest harm, then it is My will that you know thereby that I shall make well all that is less.4
Read the original Middle English
But in this I stode beholdyng generally, swemly and mournyng, seyng thus to our Lord in my menyng with ful gret drede: "A, good Lord, how myte al ben wele for the grete hurte that is come by synne to the creatures?" And here I desirid as I durst to have sum more open declaryng wherwith I myte be esyd in this. And to this our blisfull Lord answerd full mekely and with ful lovely chere and shewid that Adams synne was the most harme that ever was don or ever shal to the world ende. And also He shewid that this is openly knowen in al Holy Chirch in erth. Furthermore He leryd that I should behold the glorious asyeth, for this asyeth makyng is more plesyng to God and more worshipfull for manys salvation without comparison than ever was the synne of Adam harmfull. Than menyth our blissid Lord thus in this techyng, that we should take hede to this: For sythe I have made wele the most harme, than it is My wil that thou knowe thereby that I shal make wel al that less.
Notes
- 1 ↩ME swemly: sorrowfully / with grief-distress; rendered 'sorrowfully' to keep Julian's heavy mourning tone without archaism.
- 2 ↩Source is elliptical (shal [be done]); supplied 'be' for English sense without adding claim beyond the ellipse.
- 3 ↩ME asyeth = satisfaction/atonement (cf. chapter title 'satisfaction'). Kept durable theological 'satisfaction'; 'asyeth makyng' rendered 'making of satisfaction'.
- 4 ↩Opening Than = Then (inferential). Second than = then (consequence after sythe/since). 'thou' modernized to 'you' per modern-you policy; Christ's speech kept uncontracted for solemn gravity.
Revelations of Divine Love (Showings) companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent