Synne of the chosen shall be turnyd to joye and worship. Exemple of David, Peter, and John of Beverley. Thirty-eighth chapter.
Sin Turned to Honor
God reveals that sin will become honor for the chosen, with pain answered by bliss and every sin rewarded in heaven.
Also, God showed that sin will be no shame but honor to us.1 For just as every sin is answered by a pain in keeping with truth, so likewise for every sin a bliss is given to the same soul by love. Just as various sins are punished with various pains according to how grievous they are, so likewise they will be rewarded with various joys in Heaven according to how painful and sorrowful they have been to the soul on earth. For the soul that will come to Heaven is precious to God, and the place so honorable that the goodness of God never allows that soul which will come there to sin, except such sin as will be rewarded.2 And it is made known without end, and blissfully restored by surpassing honors.3
Examples from Scripture and History
God shows David and many saints from the Old and New Law whose sins are known on earth yet turned to honor in heaven.
For in this vision, my understanding was lifted up to heaven, and then God cheerfully reminded me of David and countless others in the Old Law. And in the New Law He brought to mind first Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul, Thomas of India, and Saint John of Beverley, and countless others as well—how they are known in the church on earth with their sins, and it is no shame to them; instead, everything is turned into honor for them.4 And therefore our courteous Lord shows them here in part, just as it is in fullness there.5 For there the mark of sin is turned into honor.6
The Familiar Saint: John of Beverley
God exalts Saint John of Beverley as a near and familiar neighbor, showing how his fall led to greater grace and joy, confirmed by miracles.
And Saint John of Beverley — our Lord showed him very highly for our comfort, because of how near and familiar he is to us, and brought to my mind how he is a kindly neighbor and one of our own acquaintance.7 And God called him Saint John of Beverley plainly, just as we do, and that with a fully glad, sweet expression, showing that he is a very high saint in Heaven in His sight, and a blissful one. And with this He mentioned that in his youth and tender age he was a dear and precious servant to God, greatly loving and fearing God; and yet God allowed him to fall, mercifully keeping him so that he did not perish and lost no time.8 And afterward God raised him to manifold more grace; and by the contrition and humility he had in his life, God has given him in Heaven manifold joys surpassing what he would have had if he had not fallen. And that this is true, God shows on earth by continually working plentiful miracles around his body. And all of this was to make us glad and merry in love.
Read the original Middle English
Also God shewid that synne shal be no shame but worship to man. For ryth as to every synne is answeryng a peyne be trewth, ryth so for every synne to the same soule is goven a bliss by love. Ryth as dyvers synnes arn punyshid with dyvers peynes after that thei be grevous, ryth so shal thei be rewardid with dyvers joyes in Hevyn after thei have be peynful and sorowful to the soule in erthe. For the soule that shal come to Hevyn is pretious to God, and the place so worshipful that the goodnes of God suffrith never that soul to synne that shal come there but which synne shal be rewardid. And it is made knowen without end, and blisfully restorid be overpassyng worshipps.
For in thys syte myn understondyng was lift up into Hevyn, and than God browte merily to my minde David and other in the Old Law without numbre. And in the New Law He browte to my mynd first Mary Magdalen, Peter and Paul, and Thomas of Inde, and Saynt John of Beverly, and other also without noumbre, how thei are knowen in the church in erth with ther synnes, and it is to hem no shame, but al is turnyd hem to worship. And therfore our curtes Lord shewith for them here in party like as it is there in fulhede. For ther the token of synne is turnyd to worshippe.
And Seynt John of Beverley, our Lord shewid hym ful heyly in comfort to us for homlyhed, and browte to my mynde how he is an hende neybor and of our knowyng. And God called hym Seynt John of Beverley pleynly as we doe, and that with a full glad, swete chere, shewyng that he is a ful hey seynt in Hevyn in His syght, and a blisfull. And with this he made mention that in his youngth and in his tendyr age he was a derworthy servant to God, mekyl God lovand and dredand; and nevertheless God suffrid him to fall, hym mercyfully kepand that he perishid not ne lost no tyme. And afterward God reysyd hym to manyfold more grace; and be the contrition and mekenes that he had in his living, God hat goven hym in Hevyn manyfold joyes overpassing that he shuld hav had if he had not fallen. And that thys is soth, God shewith in erth with plentiuous miracles doyng aboute his body continuly. And al was this to make us glad and mery in love.
Notes
- 1 ↩Middle English "worship" here means honor or glory conferred on the person, not liturgical worship.
- 2 ↩"but which synne shal be rewardid" is elliptical: God never permits the heaven-bound soul to sin except in such sin as will itself be turned to reward.
- 3 ↩"It" most naturally resumes the rewarded sin of the previous sentence; "overpassyng worshipps" = surpassing honors/glories.
- 4 ↩ME 'worship' here means honor/glory, not liturgical worship; rendered 'honor' to match Julian's contrast with 'shame' in this chapter.
- 5 ↩ME 'curtes' kept as Julian's signature 'courteous'; 'in party' / 'fulhede' rendered 'in part' / 'in fullness'.
- 6 ↩ME 'token of synne' rendered 'mark of sin' (sign/trace); 'worshippe' again as honor/glory.
- 7 ↩enm 'homlyhed' is Julian's key term for intimate, familiar nearness; rendered here as 'how near and familiar he is to us' rather than the technical loan 'homeliness'.
- 8 ↩enm 'derworthy' = dear-worthy / precious; rendered 'dear and precious'. 'lost no tyme' kept close to the source: the fall cost him no lasting spiritual time.
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