The thritteenth chapitre. What meeknes is in itself, and when it is parfite and when it is inparfite.
The Nature and Causes of Meekness
The author introduces the virtue of humility, defines it as true self-knowledge, and identifies its two causes: awareness of one's own wretchedness and the overwhelming love and worthiness of God.
Now let's look first at the virtue of meekness: how it's imperfect when it's caused by anything else mixed with God, even if God is the chief cause; and how it's perfect when it's caused by God Himself. First, we need to know what meekness is in itself if we're going to see and understand this clearly; after that, it can be more truly understood in the spiritual truth that is its cause. Meekness is nothing more than a true knowing and feeling of yourself as you are. Surely, whoever could truly see and feel themselves as they are would truly be meek. There are two things that cause this meekness. One is the filth, wretchedness, and frailty of a person, into which they have fallen by sin, and which they must always feel to some extent while they live in this life, no matter how holy they may be. Another is the overabundant love and the worthiness of God in Himself, in the beholding of which all nature quakes, all scholars are fools, and all saints and angels are blind; so much so that if it were not through the wisdom of His Godhead that He measured their beholding according to their ability in nature and in grace, I cannot say what would become of them.
Perfect and Imperfect Meekness
The author explains that the cause rooted in God's worthiness is perfect and eternal, while the cause rooted in self-awareness is imperfect and temporary, yet still necessary; he describes the rare experience of perfect meekness in contemplative rapture.
This second cause is perfect because it lasts forever. And the other one named before is imperfect, because it will not only fail at the end of this life.1 But it may very often happen that a soul in this mortal body, through an abundance of grace in the multiplying of its desire—as often and as long as God is pleased to work it—will suddenly and perfectly have lost and forgotten all knowing and feeling of its own being, without regard to whether it has been holy or wretched. But whether this happens often or seldom to a soul that is thus disposed, I believe that it lasts only a very short while. And in that time it is made perfectly meek, because it knows and feels no cause except the chief one.2 And whenever it knows and feels the other cause sharing in with it, even though this one is the chief, it is still imperfect meekness.3 Even so, it is still good and must always be had, and God forbid that you take it in any other way than I say.
Read the original Middle English
Now lat see first of the vertewe of meeknes: how that it is inparfite when it is caused of any other thing medelid with God thof al it be the cheef; and how that it is parfite when it is caused of God by Himself. And first it is to weten what meeknes is in itself, yif this mater schal cleerly be seen and conceyvid; and therafter may it more verrely be conceyvid in trewth of sperite whiche is the cause therof.
Meeknes in itself is not ellis bot a trewe knowyng and felyng of a mans self as he is. For sekirly whoso might verrely see and fele himself as he is, that he schuld verrely be meek. Two thinges ther ben the whiche ben cause of this meeknes, the whiche ben theese: on is the filthe, the wrecchidnes, and the freelté of man, into the whiche he is fallen by synne, and the whiche algates him behoveth to fele in sum partye the whiles he levith in this liif, be he never so holy. Another is the overaboundaunt love and the worthines of God in Himself, in beholding of the whiche alle kynde quakith, alle clerkes ben foles, and alle seintes and aungelles ben blynde; insomoche that ne were thorow the wisdam of His Godheed that He mesurid theire beholdyng after theire abilnes in kynde and in grace, I defaile to sey what schuld falle of hem.
This secound cause is parfite, for whi it schal last withouten eende. And the tother bifore is inparfite, for whi it schal not only faile at the ende of this liif. Bot ful ofte it may befalle that a soule in this deedly body, for abundaunce of grace in multipliing of his desire, as ofte and as longe as God vouchethsaaf for to worche it, schal have sodenly and parfitely lost and forgetyn alle wetyng and felyng of his beyng, not lokyng after whether he have ben holy or wrechid. Bot whether that this falle ofte or seeldom to a soule that is thus disposid, I trowe that it lasteth bot a ful schort while. And in this tyme it is parfitely mekyd, for it knoweth and felith no cause bot the cheef. And ever whan it knoweth and felith the tother cause comounyng therwith, thof al this be the cheef, yit it is inparfite meeknes. Nevertheles yit it is good and algates must be had, and God forbede that thou take it in any other maner then I sey.
Notes
- 1 ↩“The tother bifore” is the first cause from the previous section: feeling one’s own filth, wretchedness, and frailty. The “not only… but” construction continues into the next sentence.
- 2 ↩“The cheef” is the second cause: the overabundant love and worthiness of God in Himself.
- 3 ↩“The tother cause” is self-knowledge of wretchedness; “this” / “the cheef” is God’s worthiness. When both are felt together, the meekness remains imperfect.
The Cloud of Unknowing companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent