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

Chap. 51. That euerie man is not to be credited; and that by wordes we easilie offend.

SERVANT.

O Lord, help me now in this troble: for vaine is the help of man a 1.1.

How often haue I bin deceaued where I lookt for faith? Againe there haue I found it, where I lookt for none. So vaine is the trust in men b 1.2: but in thee, O God alone the saluation of the righteous doth consist c 1.3.

We thanke thee d 1.4 O Lord our God, for al whatsoeuer betideth vs miserable and weake ones, which are easilie deceaued, and changed with a litle.

What man is he that so wiselie, and circumspectlie behaues himselfe in al things, that he is neuer deceaued, nor commeth into daunger e 1.5?

Yea, he who trusteth in the Lord f 1.6, and serueth him with a simple mind, doth not so easilie and soone offend: and though he fal sometime into tro∣bles, and perils, yet either speedilie

he escapeth, or is strengthened so that he can endure them. For thou, Lord, continuest with them vnto the ende, who put their trust in thee g 1.7.

Hard is it, yea doubtles it is verie hard to find such faithful freendes as wil stick by vs in al extremities: but thou, Lord, thou onelie art faithful h 1.8 in al things, neither is anie like vnto thee i 1.9.

Oh how wise was that good soule, that saide: My minde is rooted, and built in Christ k 1.10! were I at that staie, my mind so easilie would not be tro∣bled with worldlie feare l 1.11, neither should the dartes of bitter wordes m 1.12 disquiet me.

But who can foresee al thinges? Who can auoide miseries to come? Now, if things though fore-seene, hurt manie-times; how much more greeuouslie wil things nothing fore∣seene, annoie?

But, alas, wretch that I am, why haue I not better looked to my selfe? Either, why so lightlie haue I put confidence in others? Hereby we de∣clare our selues to be men, and that fraile men too n 1.13, albeit manie vn∣rightlie account, and flatteringlie do cal vs Angels.

Whom shal I credit, Lord, whom? but onelie thee, who art the verie truth o 1.14, and canst neither deceaue, nor be deceaued.

For al men doubtles be liers p 1.15, and weake, and vnconstant, and fraile especialie in wordes q 1.16, that rashlie hande ouer head euerie thing maie not be credited, whatsoeuer color of truth it beare.

Therfore not without great cause, & wisedome thou didest fore-warne to beware of men r 1.17; and fore-tel, that a mans enimies should be those of his house-hold s 1.18; and saie that such are not to be beleeued, who saie t 1.19, Lo here he is, or there he is.

This haue I learned to my losse, God grant I maie prooue the more wise, not foolish thereby.

Plaie the wise man, saide one, plaie the wise man, & that I tel you, keepe to your self. Which thing I did, thin∣king none should haue vnderstood the same: but afterward he that wil∣led me to be silent, could not keepe it secret himselfe, but forth-with be∣wraied himselfe, and betraied me.

From such tatlers, and vndiscreete men, O Lord, deliuer me u 1.20, that I maie neither fal into their handes,

nor folow their kinde of dealing. Let my mouth vtter continualie the truth x 1.21; and remooue awaie far fro me a dissembling tongue y 1.22. For my part is not to doo that to another, which I would not haue done to my selfe z 1.23.

Oh how good is it, and what qui∣etnes doth it bring to saie nothing of others; not to beleeue euerie thing; to speake litle; to open our selues but to fewe; to seeke after thee, which knowest our mindes a 1.24; not to be car∣ried about with euerie blast of words: but to couet that al both inward, and outward things maie be finished, and brought about according to thy wil and commandement b 1.25!

Oh, how necessarie to the keeping stil of Gods fauor is it to shun the pompe of this world; not to couet those things which are wonderful in sight c 1.26; but to folowe, and with al di∣ligence to pursue that which maie bring vs both vnto amendement of life, and to zeale of godlines d 1.27!

How manie hath virtue knowen, and ouer-hastelie commended, en∣damaged! Againe, to howe manie hath the same done good, being vsed in silence e 1.28 in this miserable life,

which is altogether counted a tenta∣tion and miserie f 1.29.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Ps. 60, 11.
• b 1.2

  Ps. 108, 12.
• c 1.3

  Ps. 37, 39.
• d 1.4

  1. Thess. 1, verse. 2. 1. Thes. 5, 18
• e 1.5

  Iam. 3, 2.
• f 1.6

  Psa. 125, 1.
• g 1.7

  Psal. 31, 1. 24. Psal. 94, 14. Psal. 71, 1.
• h 1.8

  Deu. 32, 4
• i 1.9

  Deu. 32, 39
• k 1.10

  Coloss. 2, 6 7.
• l 1.11

  Psal. 56, 4. 11.
• m 1.12

  Psa. 64, 3.
• n 1.13

  Iam. 3, 2.
• o 1.14

  Ioh. 14, 6. Rom. 3, 4.
• p 1.15

  Ps. 116, 11. Rom. 3, 4.
• q 1.16

  Iam. 3, 2. Eccl. 14, 1. Eccl. 19, 16. Eccl. 25, 8.
• r 1.17

  Mat. 10, 17
• s 1.18

  Micah. 7, 6. Mat. 10, 36.
• t 1.19

  Matth. 24, verse. 23. Mark. 13, 21
• u 1.20

  Ps. 120, 2. 3.
• x 1.21

  Prou. 8, 7.
• y 1.22

  Ps. 34, 13.
• z 1.23

  Mat. 7, 12. Luke. 6, 31. Tob. 4, 15.
• a 1.24

  Rom. 8, 27 Iohn. 2, 25.
• b 1.25

  Iam. 1, 18. 19, &c.
• c 1.26

  Luke. 16, 25.
• d 1.27

  1. Tim. 6, verse. 11. 2. Tim. 2, 22 Tit. 2, 12.
• e 1.28

  Esa. 30, 15
• f 1.29

  Iob. 7, verse. 1, &c.