The eightene chapitre. How that yit into this day alle actyves pleynen hem of contemplatyves, as Martha did on Mary; of the whiche pleynyng ignoraunce is the cause.
The Complaint of the Active Against the Contemplative
The author compares the ongoing complaint of active people against contemplatives to Martha's complaint about Mary, describing how those who feel called to the contemplative life are often criticized by their own community.
And just as Martha complained then about her sister Mary, so even to this day all actives complain about contemplatives. For if there is a man or a woman in any company of this world—whatever company it may be, religious or secular, I except none—who feels stirred through grace and by counsel to forsake all outward busyness and to set themselves fully to live the contemplative life according to their knowledge and their conscience, their counsel agreeing: as soon as they do, their own brothers and sisters, and all their nearest friends, with many others who do not know their stirrings nor that manner of living they have set themselves to, will rise up against them with a great complaining spirit and say sharply to them that what they are doing is nothing. And right away they will recount many false tales, and many true ones as well, about the falling of men and women who have given themselves to such a life before, and never a good tale of those who stand firm.
The Danger of False Renunciation
The author acknowledges that some who appear to have forsaken the world fall into error, becoming hypocrites or heretics, but postpones further discussion of their conditions to focus on the main subject.
I grant that many fall, and have fallen, among those who have only apparently abandoned the world.1 But instead of becoming God's servants and His contemplatives, because they would not guide themselves by true spiritual counsel, they have become the devil's servants and his contemplatives, and have turned either into hypocrites or heretics, or fallen into frenzies and many other calamities, to the scandal of all Holy Church. Of these I'll leave off speaking for now, so as not to trouble our subject. But nevertheless later on, when God grants it and if need be, people may speak of some of their conditions and the cause of their falls. And so no more of them for now; but on with our subject.
Read the original Middle English
And right as Martha pleynid than on Marye hir sistre, right so yit into this day alle actyves pleinen of contemplatyves. For and ther be a man or a womman in any companye of this woreld -- what companye soever it be, religious or seculers, I outetake none -- the whiche man or womman (whether that it be) feleth him sterid thorow grace and bi counsel to forsake alle outward besines, and for to sette hym fully for to lyve contemplatyve liif after theire kunnyng and theire concience, theire counseyl acordyng: as fast theire owne brethren and theire sistres, and alle theire nexte freendes, with many other that knowen not theire sterynges ne that maner of levyng that thei set hem to, with a grete pleynyng spirite schal ryse apon hem, and sey scharply unto hem that it is noght that thei do. And as fast thei wil reken up many fals tales, and many sothe also, of fallyng of men and wommen that han goven hem to soche liif before, and never a good tale of hem that stonden.
I graunte that many fallen and han fallen of hem that han in licnes forsaken the woreld. And where thei schuld have becomen Goddes servauntes and His contemplatyves, bicause that thei wolde not reule hem bi trewe goostly counseyle thei have becomen the devels servauntes and his contemplatyves, and tornen outher to ypocrites or to heretykes, or fallen into frenesies and many other mescheves, in sclaundre of alle Holy Chirche. Of the whiche I leve to speke of at this tyme, for troubling of oure mater. Bot nevertheles hereafter, when God vouchethsaaf and yif nede be, men mowe sey somme of here condicions and the cause of here fallinges. And therfore no more of theym at this tyme; bot forth of oure mater.
Notes
- 1 ↩Middle English licnes here means outward likeness or appearance: not a true leaving of the world, but only the look of one.
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