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. 56. How a man oppressed with trobles, ought to yeeld him selfe to the Lordes wil.

SERVANT.

O Eternal God, and heauenlie Father, I yeelde thee immortal thankes, for that thou doest what thou wilt a 1.1, and wilt nothing but that is good b 1.2.

Let me thy seruant reioice in thee c 1.3▪ not either in my selfe, or in anie o∣ther thing d 1.4. For thou alone art the true comfort; thou art my hope and my crowne; thou Lord art my ioie and mine honor e 1.5. Of thee I haue whatsoeuer I haue, and that not of a∣nie merites at al of mine. Thine are al things f 1.6 which thou hast either giuen g 1.7, or made h 1.8. I poore soule, worne out with labors euen from my youth, and greeued in minde i 1.9, and that in such wise, that sometime I

burst forth into teares k 1.10, and am greatlie out of quiet for the euils which hang ouer mine head.

O Lord, I long after the comfort of peace, it is the peace of thy chil∣dren, who are fed with the light of thy consolation l 1.11 that I require.

If thou giue peace, if thou fil me with ioie m 1.12, my hart shal reioice ex∣ceedinglie, and deuoutlie sound out thy praises n 1.13: But if (as manie-times thou doest) thou hide thy face o 1.14, I shal not be able to runne the waie of thy commandements p 1.15, but rather falling on my knees I shal smite my breast q 1.16, because it goeth not with me as earst it did, when, thy lanterne lightening me from aboue I was, vn∣der the shadowe of thy wings r 1.17, pro∣tected against euils that rushed vpon me s 1.18.

O righteous Father alwaies to be praised, the houre is now come t 1.19 wherein I thy seruant must be tried. O most louing Father, meete is it that I suffer somewhat for thy sake u 1.20, at this time. O Father euermore to be worshipped, the houre is now come, which from euerlasting thou didest know would come, wherein I for a litle time must outwardlie so

die, that inwardlie I maie liue with thee for euermore; for a litle while be contemned, perish as it were in mans opinion, and be afflicted with griefe and aduersitie, that hereafter in the morning of the newe light x 1.21 I maie rise againe with thee, & be glo∣rified in the heauens y 1.22. O most holie Father, such was thy decree, such is thy pleasure, and that which thou commandedst z 1.23, is come to passe.

For this benefit thou bestowest vpon thy freend, that albeit for thy sake he must suffer affliction a 1.24 in this world, yet is it but when, & of whom, and as thou wilt giue leaue. For in the world nothing commeth to passe either without thy counsel b 1.25, with∣out thy prouidence, or without cause why.

And assuredlie it is good for me, O Lord, that I haue bin afflicted, that I maie learne thy statutes c 1.26, and cast off al pride, and arrogancie of mind.

It is good for me that I am put to shame, that I maie seeke comfort frō thee rather than of men d 1.27. Thereby also do I learne to stand in feare of thine vnsearchable iudgements e 1.28, who punishest the righteous as wel as the wicked f 1.29 and yet none of them

without equitie, and iustice g 1.30.

I thanke thee, O Lord, for not spa∣ring to afflict me with euils, with bit∣ter paines, griefe, and anguish both within and without. None is there of al vnder heauen that can comfort mee in this miserie, none I saie is there, but thou alone, my God, and my Lord who art the celestial curer of soules h 1.31 which both woundest and makest whole againe i 1.32, bringest downe to the graue, and raisest vp k 1.33.

Thy correction is vpon me, thy rod teacheth me wisedome l 1.34. Lo, most lo∣uing father, I submit my selfe to the rod of thy discipline m 1.35. Strike both my back, and my neck too, that I maie turne mine vntowardlines after thy wil. Make me, O Lord, thine humble and godlie disciple, as thou hast right wel accustomed to do, that I maie euen wholie obeie euerie comman∣dement of thine n 1.36. To thee, and to thy correction I commend both my selfe, and al mine: for better is it to be punished here than hereafter o 1.37.

Thou knowest al, & euerie thing; yea the most secret cogitation in the hart of man, thou knowest p 1.38. Thou knowest what shalbe afore it come to passe q 1.39: neither hast thou neede to

be informed, or admonished of those things which are done in the world. Thou knowest wherebie I maie pro∣fit best, and what good aduersitie wil doo to the scouring off, as it were the rust of wickednes r 1.40. And therefore vse me euen as thou wilt s 1.41; and reiect me not for my wicked life t 1.42, which none knoweth so wel as thou, yea, to saie the truth, none knoweth it but thou alone u 1.43.

O Lord, grant me to know those things that I should know x 1.44; to loue that are to be loued y 1.45; to praise that which pleaseth thee; to make accoūt of such as thou hast in price; and fi∣nalie to mislike that which thou dost loath.

Suffer me not either to iudge after the sight of the outward eies z 1.46, or to giue sentence according to the hea∣ring of mine vnskilful eares: but with right iudgement to discerne betwene things both visible, and spiritual a 1.47, & afore al things euermore to seeke after the pleasure of thine heauenlie wil. For commonlie the senses of men in iudging b 1.48 are deceaued; and the freendes of this world by louing onelie visible things c 1.49 are deceaued also.

Is a man so much the better, as he is greater in the opinion of man d 1.50? The deceitful in praising the deceit∣ful; the vaine man in extolling the vaine; the blinde in commending the blinde; the weake in magnifieng the weake, deceaueth him; and by praising vainelie, he doth verilie shame him e 1.51. For in truth such is a man, and no more, as thou esteemest him to be, as one f 1.52 saide right wel.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Psa. 115, 4. Matt 19, 26.
• b 1.2

  Deut. 32, 4 Matt. 19, 17.
• c 1.3

  1. Cor. 1, verse. 31.
• d 1.4

  Iere. 9, 23
• e 1.5

  2. Sam. 22, verse. 2. 3. Psalm. 18, 2. Psal. 142, 5.
• f 1.6

  Psa. 50, 10. 11. 12.
• g 1.7

  Iam. 1, 17.
• h 1.8

  Psa. 136, 5. 6, &c.
• i 1.9

  Psal. 88, 3.
• k 1.10

  Esa. 38, 14 15.
• l 1.11

  Psal. 119, verse. 130.
• m 1.12

  Luke. 15, verse. 22. 23.
• n 1.13

  Ps. 149, 1. 2, &c.
• o 1.14

  Ps. 104, 29
• p 1.15

  Psal. 119, verse. 32.
• q 1.16

  Luke. 18, verse. 13.
• r 1.17

  Psal. 17, 8.
• s 1.18

  Psal. 18, 3. 4, &c. Psalm. 57, 2. 3.
• t 1.19

  Ioh. 12, 23. Iohn. 17, 1.
• u 1.20

  Mat. 5, 10.
• x 1.21

  Esa 65, 17 Reue. 22, 1.
• y 1.22

  Ioh 17, 24
• z 1.23

  Ioh. 16, 2. 20.
• a 1.24

  1. Pet. 4, 14 1. Pet. 2, 21.
• b 1.25

  Mat. 6, 26. 27. Matt 10, 28 29. 30. 1. Cor. 12, 6.
• c 1.26

  Ps 119, 71. 67.
• d 1.27

  Ps. 44, 23. 24 Psal. 69, 29
• e 1.28

  Ro. 11, 33.
• f 1.29

  Psal 73, 2. 3, &c. 1. Pet. 4, 17.
• g 1.30

  Psal 99, 4. Ps. 119, 75.
• h 1.31

  Ps. 147, 3. Matth. 9, 2. 22. 25. 29. 33. 35.
• i 1.32

  Deu. 32, 39
• k 1.33

  1. Sam. 2, 6 Tob 13, 2.
• l 1.34

  Prou. 29, verse. 15.
• m 1.35

  Matth. 26, verse. 39. 42.
• n 1.36

  Ps. 119, 71.
• o 1.37

  Esa 55, 6. Galat. 6, 9. 10.
• p 1.38

  Heb. 4, 13.
• q 1.39

  Rom. 11, 2
• r 1.40

  Wisd 3, 6▪ 1. Pet. 1, 7.
• s 1.41

  Luke. 22, verse. 42.
• t 1.42

  Luk. 18, ••3
• u 1.43

  Ioh 2, 24. 25.
• x 1.44

  Ioh. 17, 3.
• y 1.45

  Deut. 6, 5. Matt. 22, 37
• z 1.46

  Deut. 1, 17 1. Sam. 16, 7. Sirach 42, 1 Iob. 10, 4.
• a 1.47

  1. Co. 2, 10 11, &c.
• b 1.48

  1. Cor. 2, 7 8 Iames. 2, 2. 3, &c.
• c 1.49

  1. Ioh. 2, 15 16. 17.
• d 1.50

  Luke. 16; verse. 19. 20.
• e 1.51

  Ioh. 5, 44. Iohn. 12. 43.
• f 1.52

  Francis the Minorite.