Anonymous Anonymous - The Cloud of Unknowing

Anonymous

A Spiritual Guide to Contemplative Prayer

Editor: Evelyn Underhill

e-artnow, 2021

Contact: info@e-artnow.org

EAN 4064066500009

Introduction

Prayer

Prologue

Chapter 1. Of four degrees of Christian men’s living; and of the course of his calling that this book was made unto.

Chapter 2. A short stirring to meekness, and to the work of this book.

Chapter 3. How the work of this book shall be wrought, and of the worthiness of it before all other works.

Chapter 4. Of the shortness of this word, and how it may not be come to by curiosity of wit, nor by imagination.

Chapter 5. That in the time of this word all the creatures that ever have been, be now, or ever shall be, and all the works of those same creatures, should be hid under the cloud of forgetting.

Chapter 6. A short conceit of the work of this book, treated by question.

Chapter 7. How a man shall have him in this work against all thoughts, and specially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, of cunning, and of natural wit.

Chapter 8. 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.

Chapter 9. That in the time of this work the remembrance of the holiest Creature that ever God made letteth more than it profiteth.

Chapter 10. How a man shall know when his thought is no sin; and if it be sin, when it is deadly and when it is venial.

Chapter 11. That a man should weigh each thought and each stirring after that it is, and always eschew recklessness in venial sin.

Chapter 12. That by Virtue of this word sin is not only destroyed, but also Virtues begotten.

Chapter 13. What meekness is in itself, and when it is perfect and when it is imperfect.

Chapter 14. That without imperfect meekness coming before, it is impossible for a sinner to come to the perfect Virtue of meekness in this life.

Chapter 15. A short proof against their error that say, that there is no perfecter cause to be meeked under, than is the knowledge of a man’s own wretchedness.

Chapter 16. That by Virtue of this work a sinner truly turned and called to contemplation cometh sooner to perfection than by any other work; and by it soonest may get of God forgiveness of sins.

Chapter 17. That a Very contemplative list not meddle him with active life, nor of anything that is done or spoken about him, nor yet to answer to his blamers in excusing of himself.

Chapter 18. How that yet unto this day all actives complain of contemplatives as Martha did of Mary. Of the which complaining ignorance is the cause.

Chapter 19. A short excusation of him that made this book teaching how all contemplatives should have all actives fully excused of their complaining words and deeds.

Chapter 20. How Almighty God will goodly answer for all those that for the excusing of themselves list not leave their business about the love of Him.

Chapter 21. The true exposition of this gospel word, “Mary hath chosen the best part.”

Chapter 22. Of the wonderful love that Christ had to man in person of all sinners truly turned and called to the grace of contemplation.

Chapter 23. How God will answer and purvey for them in spirit, that for business about His love list not answer nor purvey for themselves

Chapter 24. What charity is in itself, and how it is truly and perfectly contained in the work of this book.

Chapter 25. That in the time of this work a perfect soul hath no special beholding to any one man in this life.

Chapter 26. That without full special grace, or long use in common grace, the work of this book is right travailous; and in this work, which is the work of the soul helped by grace, and which is the work of only God.

Chapter 27. Who should work in the gracious work of this book.

Chapter 28. That a man should not presume to work in this work before the time that he be lawfully cleansed in conscience of all his special deeds of sin.

Chapter 29. That a man should bidingly travail in this work, and suffer the pain thereof, and judge no man.

Chapter 30. Who should blame and condemn other men’s defaults.

Chapter 31. How a man should have him in beginning of this work against all thoughts and stirrings of sin.

Chapter 32. Of two ghostly devices that be helpful to a ghostly beginner in the work of this book.

Chapter 33. That in this work a soul is cleansed both of his special sins and of the pain of them, and yet how there is no perfect rest in this life.

Chapter 34. That God giveth this grace freely without any means, and that it may not be come to with means.

Chapter 35. Of three means in the which a contemplative Prentice should be occupied, in reading, thinking, and praying.

Chapter 36. Of the meditations of them that continually travail in the work of this book.

Chapter 37. Of the special prayers of them that be continual workers in the word of this book

Chapter 38. How and why that short prayer pierceth heaven

Chapter 39. How a perfect worker shall pray, and what prayer is in itself; and if a man shall pray in words, which words accord them most to the property of prayer.

Chapter 40. That in the time of this work a soul hath no special beholding to any vice in itself nor to any virtue in itself.

Chapter 41. That in all other works beneath this, men should keep discretion; but in this none.

Chapter 42. That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all other things; and surely else never

Chapter 43. That all witting and feeling of a man’s own being must needs be lost if the perfection of this word shall verily be felt in any soul in this life.

Chapter 44. How a soul shall dispose it on its own part, for to destroy all witting and feeling of its own being.

Chapter 45. A good declaring of some certain deceits that may befall in this work.

Chapter 46. A good teaching how a man shall flee these deceits, and work more with a listiness of spirit, than with any boisterousness of body

Chapter 47. A slight teaching of this work in purity of spirit; declaring how that on one manner a soul should shew his desire unto God, and on ye contrary unto man.

Chapter 48. How God will be served both with body and with soul, and reward men in both; and how men shall know when all those sounds and sweetness that fall into the body in time of prayer be both good and evil.

Chapter 49. The substance of all perfection is nought else but a good will; and how that all sounds and comfort and sweetness that may befall in this life be to it but as it were accidents.

Chapter 50. Which is chaste love; and how in some creatures such sensible comforts be but seldom, and in some right oft.

Chapter 51. That men should have great wariness so that they understand not bodily a thing that is meant ghostly; and specially it is good to be wary in understanding of this word “in,” and of this word “up.”

Chapter 52. How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this word “in,” and of the deceits that follow thereon.

Chapter 53. Of divers unseemly practices that follow them that lack the work of this book.

Chapter 54. How that by Virtue of this word a man is governed full wisely, and made full seemly as well in body as in soul.

Chapter 55. How they be deceived that follow the fervour of spirit in condemning of some without discretion.

Chapter 56. How they be deceived that follow the fervour of spirit in condemning of some without discretion

Chapter 57. How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this other word “up”; and of the deceits that follow thereon.