CHAPTER XII

“The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most precious, so verily it is most plenteous”

AND after this I saw, beholding, the body plenteously bleeding in seeming of⁵⁴⁵⁴i.e. as it were from. the Scourging, as thus:—The fair skin was broken full deep into the tender flesh with sharp smiting all about the sweet body. So plenteously the hot blood ran out that there was neither seen skin nor wound, but as it were all blood. And when it came where it should have fallen down, then it vanished. Notwithstanding, the bleeding continued awhile: till it might be seen and considered.⁵⁵⁵⁵ "sene with avisement," so, p. 26. -- " 1 beheld with avisement." And this was so plenteous, to my sight, that methought if it had been so in kind⁵⁶⁵⁶ i.e. Nature, reality. and in substance at that time, it should have made the bed all one blood, and have passed over about.

And then came to my mind that God hath made waters plenteous in earth to our service and to our bodily ease for tender love that He hath to us, but yet liketh Him better that we take full homely His blessed blood to wash us of sin: for there is no water⁵⁷⁵⁷ MS. "licor." that is made that He liketh so well to give us. For it is most plenteous 29 as it is most precious: and that by the virtue of His blessed Godhead; and it is [of] our Kind, and all-blissfully belongeth to us by the virtue of His precious love.

The dearworthy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ as verily as it is most precious, so verily it is most plenteous. Behold and see! The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood descended down into Hell and burst her bands and delivered all that were there which belonged to the Court of Heaven. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood overfloweth all Earth, and is ready to wash all creatures of sin, which be of goodwill, have been, and shall be. The precious plenty of His dearworthy blood ascended up into Heaven to the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and there is in Him, bleeding and praying for us to the Father,—and is, and shall be as long as it needeth;—and ever shall be as long as it needeth. And evermore it floweth in all Heavens enjoying the salvation of all mankind, that are there, and shall be—fulfilling the number⁵⁸⁵⁸The appointed number of heavenly citizens. that faileth.