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Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers

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Title
Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers
Publication
Imprinted at London :: By Henrie Denham, dwelling in Pater noster Row, at the signe of the Starre,
[1580]
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Subject terms
Meditations -- Early works to 1800.
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A13680.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Of the imitation of Christ, three, both for wisedome, and godlines, most excellent bookes; made 170. yeeres since by one Thomas of Kempis, and for the worthines thereof oft since translated out of Latine into sundrie languages by diuers godlie and learned men: now newlie corrected, translated, and with most ample textes, and sentences of holie Scripture illustrated by Thomas Rogers." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A13680.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 3, 2024.

Pages

Chap. 21. Preparatiues vnto Godlines.

WIlt thou come fore∣ward in godlines? Then feare God a 1.1; & be thou not ouer loose in beha∣uior, nor giuen to vaine pleasure b 1.2, but keepe vnder thy senses

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by discipline.

Prepare thy selfe to vnfeined re∣pentance c 1.3, and thou wilt proue reli∣gious. For repentance bringeth vnto godlines, and negligence quicklie doth forgo the same.

It is maruel that any man can har∣telie reioice in this life, which consi∣dereth his banishment, and the ma∣nifold perils of his soule d 1.4.

Through ye weakenes of our minds, & securitie, we feele not the sorowes of ye minde, but oftentimes we laugh, when in deede we should weepe e 1.5.

There is no true libertie, nor good mirth; but in the feare of God ioined with a good conscience f 1.6.

Happie is that man which casting of the lets of al worldlie busines, can giue himselfe wholie to the stirring vp of his minde. Happie is he that can keepe himselfe from al those thinges which may either defile or burden his conscience g 1.7.

Fight like a man h 1.8; custome is o∣uercome by custome.

If thou mindest not to medle in o∣ther mens matters; they for their partes, wil not medle in thine.

Take not vpon thee another mans charge; neither troble thy selfe in the

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affaires of thy betters.

But looke vpon thy selfe i 1.9; and be∣fore thy deerest frendes giue thy selfe counsel.

If thou lack the good wil of men, take it not heauilie; but if thou be∣haue not thy selfe wel, and circum∣spectlie as becommeth the seruant of GOD, and a true Christian k 1.10, houle and weepe l 1.11.

It is good for a man not to haue much comfort in this life, especialie worldlie comfort. As touching hea∣uenlie, if we either feele it not at al, or but seldome, the fault is in our selues, which neither seeke occasions to stir vp the minde, nor forsake tran∣sitorie, and external comfort m 1.12.

Thinke with thy selfe not onely that thou hast not deserued any hea∣uenly comfort, but also that thou dost deserue great miserie, & affliction n 1.13.

A man set on fire with the sparkes of true godlines loueth not o 1.14 but loatheth the world p 1.15, and al that is therein q 1.16.

A good man continually findeth occasion to weepe, and mourne. For whether he behold himselfe, or other men, hee seeth that no man liueth without miserie in this world. Yea the

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more earnestlie he considereth him∣selfe, the more abundantlie doth he shed teares r 1.17. And in deede our ma∣nifold sins, and transgressions s 1.18 wher∣with we lie so wrapped that hardlie we can behold celestial things, shold moue vs so to do.

Thinke more often of thy death t 1.19, than of a long life; & doubtles thou wilt giue thy selfe more earnestlie to repentance, than thou doest. Againe cal into thy minde the paines of hel, when God shal turne away his face u 1.20; and it wil make thee both to lament thy sinnes, and to take aduersitie in good part.

But because these things come not into minde x 1.21; and we folow the vaine pleasures of this transitorie worlde; we go on, God knowes, coldlie and slowlie in religion, for lacke of the spirit of God y 1.22; whence it is that our wretched bodies do so easilie com∣plaine.

Wherfore make thine humble pe∣tition vnto almightie GOD, that he would enflame within thy brest his heauenlie fire z 1.23, and saie with that Prophet a 1.24: Feede me, O Lord, with ye bread of teares, and giue me teares to drinke with great measure.

Notes

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