HERE BEGINNETH THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
A good declaring of certain doubts that may fall in this word
treated by question, in destroying of a man's own curiosity, of cunning, and of
natural wit, and in distinguishing of the degrees and the parts of active
living and contemplative.
BUT now thou askest me, "What is he, this that thus presseth upon me in this
work; and whether it is a good thing or an evil? And if it be an evil thing,
then have I marvel," thou sayest, "why that he will increase a man's devotion
so much. For sometimes me think that it is a passing comfort to listen after
his tales. For he will sometime, me think, make me weep full heartily for pity
of the Passion of Christ, sometime for my wretchedness, and for many other
reasons, that me thinketh be full holy, and that done me much good.
And therefore me thinketh that he should on nowise be evil; and if he be good,
and with his sweet tales doth me so much good withal, then I have great marvel
why that thou biddest me put him down and away so far under the cloud of
forgetting?"
Now surely me thinketh that this is a well
moved question, and therefore I think to answer thereto so feebly as I can.
First when thou askest me what is he, this that presseth so fast upon thee in
this work, proffering to help thee in this work; I say that it is a sharp and a
clear beholding of thy natural wit, printed in thy reason within in thy soul.
And where thou askest me thereof whether it be good or evil, I say that it
behoveth always be good in its nature. For why, it is a beam of the likeness of
God. But the use thereof may be both good and evil. Good, when it is opened by
grace for to see thy wretchedness, the passion, the kindness, and the
wonderful works of God in His creatures bodily and ghostly. And then it is no
wonder though it increase thy devotion full much, as thou sayest. But then is
the use evil, when it is swollen with pride and with curiosity of much clergy
and letterly cunning as in clerks; and maketh them press for to be holden not
meek scholars and masters of divinity or of devotion, but proud scholars of the
devil and masters of vanity and of falsehood. And in other men or women whatso
they be, religious or seculars, the use and the working of this natural wit is
then evil, when it is swollen with proud and curious skills of worldly things,
and fleshly conceits in coveting of worldly worships and having of riches and
vain plesaunce and flatterings of others.
And where that thou askest me, why that thou
shalt put it down under the cloud of forgetting, since it is so, that it is
good in its nature, and thereto when it is well used it doth thee so
much good and increaseth thy devotion so much. To this I answer and say--That
thou shalt well understand that there be two manner of lives in Holy Church.
The one is active life, and the other is contemplative life. Active is the
lower, and contemplative is the higher. Active life hath two degrees, a higher
and a lower: and also contemplative life hath two degrees, a lower and a
higher. Also, these two lives be so coupled together that although they be
divers in some part, yet neither of them may be had fully without some part of
the other. For why? That part that is the higher part of active life, that same
part is the lower part of contemplative life. So that a man may not be fully
active, but if he be in part contemplative; nor yet fully contemplative, as it
may be here, but if he be in part active. The condition of active life is such,
that it is both begun and ended in this life; but not so of contemplative life. For it is begun in this life, and shall last without end. For why?
That part that Mary chose shall never be taken away. Active life is troubled
and travailed about many things; but contemplative sitteth in peace with one
thing.
The lower part of active life standeth in good
and honest bodily works of mercy and of charity. The higher part of active life
and the lower part of contemplative life lieth in goodly ghostly meditations,
and busy beholding unto a man's own wretchedness with sorrow and contrition,
unto the Passion of Christ and of His servants with pity and compassion, and
unto the wonderful gifts, kindness, and works of God in all His creatures
bodily and ghostly with thanking and praising. But the higher part of
contemplation, as it may be had here, hangeth all wholly in this darkness and
in this cloud of unknowing; with a loving stirring and a blind beholding unto
the naked being of God Himself only.
In the lower part of active life a man is without
himself and beneath himself. In the higher part of active life and the lower
part of contemplative life, a man is within himself and even with himself. But
in the higher part of contemplative life, a man is above himself and under his
God. Above himself he is: for why, he purposeth him to win thither by grace,
whither he may not come by nature. That is to say, to be knit to God in spirit,
and in onehead of love and accordance of will. And right as it is impossible,
to man's understanding, for a man to come to the higher part of active life,
but if he cease for a time of the lower part; so it is that a man shall not
come to the higher part of contemplative life, but if he cease for a time of
the lower part. And as unlawful a thing as it is, and as much as it would let a
man that sat in his meditations, to have regard then to his outward bodily
works, the which he had done, or else should do, although they were
never so holy works in themselves: surely as unlikely a thing it is, and as
much would it let a man that should work in this darkness and in this cloud of
unknowing with an affectuous stirring of love to God for Himself, for to let
any thought or any meditation of God's wonderful gifts, kindness, and works in
any of His creatures bodily or ghostly, rise upon him to press betwixt him and
his God; although they be never so holy thoughts, nor so profound, nor so
comfortable.
And for this reason it is that I bid thee put
down such a sharp subtle thought, and cover him with a thick cloud of
forgetting, be he never so holy nor promise he thee never so well for to help
thee in thy purpose. For why, love may reach to God in this life, but not
knowing. And all the whiles that the soul dwelleth in this deadly body,
evermore is the sharpness of our understanding in beholding of all ghostly
things, but most specially of God, mingled with some manner of
fantasy; for the which our work should be unclean. And unless more wonder were,
it should lead us into much error.