The Cloud of Unknowing - Catholic Spiritual Direction

1 The Cloud of UnknowingAnonymousTable of Contentsp. iiAbout This Book..p. 1 Title Page..p. 2 Introduction..p. 10 Glossary..p. 12 Prayer..p. 13 Prologue..p. 14 Table of the Chapters..p. 21 Chapter 1: Of four degrees of Christian men's living, and of the course ofhis calling that this book was made unto..p. 22 Chapter 2: A short stirring to meekness, and to the work of this book..p. 23 Chapter 3: How the work of this book shall be wrought and of the worthinessof it before all other works..p. 24 Chapter 4: Of the shortness of this work, and how it may not be come to bythe curiosity of wit, nor by imagination.

2 P. 27 Chapter 5: That in the time of this work all the creatures that ever have been,be now, or ever shall be, and all the works of those same creatures, shouldbe hid under the Cloud of forgetting..p. 28 Chapter 6: A short conceit of the work of this book, treated by question..p. 29 Chapter 7: How a man shall have him in this work against all thoughts, andspecially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, of cunning, and ofnatural wit..p. 31 Chapter 8: That in the time of his work all the creatures that ever have been,be now, or ever shall be, and all the works of those creatures, should be hidunder the Cloud of forgetting.

3 P. 33 Chapter 9: That in the time of this work the rememberance of the holiestcreature that ever God made letteth more than it profiteth..p. 34 Chapter 10: How a man shall know when his thought is no sin; and if it besin, when it is deadly and when it is ..p. 36 Chapter 11: That a man should weigh each thought and each stirring afterthat it is, and always eschew recklessness in venial ..p. 37 Chapter 12: That by Virtue of this word sin is not only destroyed, but alsovirtues ..p. 38 Chapter 13: What meekness is in itself, and when it is perfect and when itis.

4 IiiAnonymousThe Cloud of Unknowingp. 39 Chapter 14: That without imperfect meekness coming before, it is impossiblefor a sinner to come to the perfect Virtue of meekness in this life..p. 40 Chapter 15: A short proof against their error that say, that there is no perfectercause to be meeked under, than is the knowledge of a man's ownwretchedness..p. 41 Chapter 16: That by virtue of this work a sinner truly turned and called tocontemplation cometh sooner to perfection than by any other work; and byit soonest may get of God forgiveness of sins.

5 P. 43 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 hisblamers in excusing of himself..p. 44 Chapter 18: How that yet unto this day all actives complain of contemplativesas Martha did of Mary. Of the which complaining ignorance is thecause..p. 45 Chapter 19: A short excusation of him that made this book, teaching how allcontemplatives should have all actives fully excused of their complainingwords and deeds.

6 P. 46 Chapter 20: How Almighty God will goodly answer for all those that for theexcusing of themselves list not leave their business about the love ofHim..p. 47 Chapter 21: The true exposition of this gospel word, 'Mary hath chosen thebest part'..p. 49 Chapter 22: Of the wonderful love that Christ had to man in person of allsinners truly turned and called to the grace of contemplation..p. 50 Chapter 23: How God will answer and purvey for them in spirit, that forbusiness about His love list not answer nor purvey for themselves.

7 P. 51 Chapter 24: What charity is in itself, and how it is truly and perfectly containedin the work of this book..p. 52 Chapter 25: That in the time of this work a perfect soul hath no specialbeholding to any one man in this life..p. 53 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 workof the soul helped by grace, and which is the work of only God..p. 54 Chapter 27: Who should work in the gracious work of this book.

8 P. 55 Chapter 28: That a man should not presume to work in this work before thetime that he be lawfully cleansed in conscience of all his special deeds ofsin..p. 56 Chapter 29: That a man should bidingly travail in this work, and suffer thepain thereof, and judge no man..p. 57 Chapter 30: Who should blame and condemn other men's defaults..ivAnonymousThe Cloud of Unknowingp. 58 Chapter 31: How a man should have him in beginning of this work againstall thoughts and stirrings of sin..p. 59 Chapter 32: Of two ghostly devices that be helpful to a ghostly beginner inthe work of this book.

9 P. 60 Chapter 33: That in this work a soul is cleansed both of his special sins andof the pain of them, and yet how there is no perfect rest in this life..p. 61 Chapter 34: That God giveth this grace freely without any means, and thatit may not be come to with means..p. 63 Chapter 35: Of three means in the which a contemplative prentice shouldbe occupied; in reading, thinking, and praying..p. 64 Chapter 36: Of the meditations of them that continually travail in the work ofthis book..p. 65 Chapter 37: Of the special prayers of them that be continual workers in thework of this book.

10 P. 66 Chapter 38: How and why that short prayer pierceth heaven..p. 67 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 theproperty of prayer..p. 68 Chapter 40: That in the time of this work a soul hath no special beholding toany vice in itself nor to any virtue in itself..p. 69 Chapter 41: That in all other works beneath this, men should keep discretion;but in this none..p. 70 Chapter 42: That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all otherthings; and surely else never.