An extract from the 'Revelations of Divine Love' by Julian of Norwich.
And after thys oure Lorde brought to my mynde the longyng that I had to hym before. And I saw nothyng lettyd me but synne, and so I behelde generally in us alle. And me thought yf synne had nott be, we shulde alle have be clene and lyke to our Lorde as he made us. And thus in my foly before thys tyme often I wondryd why, by the grete forseyng wysdom of God, the begynnyng of synne was nott lettyd. For then thought me that alle shulde have be wele.
Thys steryng was moch to be forsaken. And, nevyrthelesse, mornyg and sorow I made therfore withoute reson and dyscrecion. But Jesu, that in this vysyon enformed me of alle that me nedyd, answeryd by thys worde and seyde, "Synne is behovely, but alle shalle be wele, and alle shalle be wele, and alle maner of thynge shalle be wele."
[And after this our Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had felt towards him before. And I saw that nothing hindered me but sin, and I beheld that it is so with us all. And it seemed to me that if sin had not existed, we should all have been pure and like our Lord, as he made us. And thus in my folly before this time often I wondered why, by the great forseeing wisdom of God, the beginning of sin was not prevented; for it seemed to me that then all should have been well.
This impulse ought to have been stopped. But, nevertheless, I mourned and grieved because of it without reason and proper discretion. But Jesu, who in this vision informed me of all that was necessary to me, answered by these words and said, "Sin is necessary, but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."]
