HERE BEGINNETH THE NINTH CHAPTER
That in the time of this work the remembrance of the holiest
Creature that ever God made letteth more than it
profiteth.
AND therefore the sharp stirring of thine understanding, that will always press
upon thee when thou settest thee to this work, behoveth always be borne down;
and but thou bear him down, he will bear thee down. Insomuch, that when thou
weenest best to abide in this darkness, and that nought is in thy mind but only
God; an thou look truly thou shalt find thy mind not occupied in this darkness,
but in a clear beholding of some thing beneath God. And if it thus be, surely
then is that thing above thee for the time, and betwixt thee and thy God. And
therefore purpose thee to put down such clear beholdings, be they
never so holy nor so likely. For one thing I tell thee, it is more profitable
to the health of thy soul, more worthy in itself, and more pleasing to God and
to all the saints and angels in heaven--yea, and more helpful to all thy
friends, bodily and ghostly, quick and dead--such a blind stirring of love unto
God for Himself, and such a privy pressing upon this cloud of unknowing, and
better thee were for to have it and for to feel it in thine affection ghostly,
than it is for to have the eyes of thy soul opened in contemplation or
beholding of all the angels or saints in heaven, or in hearing of all the mirth
and the melody that is amongst them in bliss.
And look thou have no wonder of this: for
mightest thou once see it as clearly, as thou mayest by grace come to for to
grope it and feel it in this life, thou wouldest think as I say. But be thou
sure that clear sight shall never man have here in this life: but the feeling may men have through grace when God vouchsafeth. And therefore
lift up thy love to that cloud: rather, if I shall say thee sooth, let God draw
thy love up to that cloud and strive thou through help of His grace to forget
all other thing.
For since a naked remembrance of any thing under
God pressing against thy will and thy witting putteth thee farther from God
than thou shouldest be if it were not, and letteth thee, and maketh thee
inasmuch more unable to feel in experience the fruit of His love, what trowest
thou then that a remembrance wittingly and wilfully drawn upon thee will hinder
thee in thy purpose? And since a remembrance of any special saint or of any
clean ghostly thing will hinder thee so much, what trowest thou then that the
remembrance of any man living in this wretched life, or of any manner of bodily
or worldly thing, will hinder thee and let thee in this work?
I say not that such a naked sudden
thought of any good and clean ghostly thing under God pressing against thy will
or thy witting, or else wilfully drawn upon thee with advisement in increasing
of thy devotion, although it be letting to this manner of work--that it is
therefore evil. Nay! God forbid that thou take it so. But I say, although it be
good and holy, yet in this work it letteth more than it profiteth. I mean for
the time. For why? Surely he that seeketh God perfectly, he will not rest him
finally in the remembrance of any angel or saint that is in heaven.