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. 64. That high matters, and secret iudge∣ments of God should not be searcht after.

OF hard matters, my sonne, and of the secret iudgementes of God take heed thou dispute not a 1.1. I saie reason not either why this man is so reiected, or that man in such fauor b 1.2; why this man is so miserablie afflicted, that man so highlie aduanced.

These things are beyond the reach of man; neither is anie reason, or dis∣putation meete inough to search out the counsel of the Almightie c 1.3.

Therefore, when either the enimie doth bring these thinges into thy minde, or ••ls some curious felowes enquire of thee, answere with the Prophet d 1.4: Righteous art thou, O Lord, and iust are thy iudgements. Againe, saie, e 1.5 The iudgements of the Lord are truth, they are righteous al∣together.

For my iudgements are to be fea∣red,

not to be discussed, in asmuch as they are aboue the capacitie of mā f 1.6.

Do thou neither enquire, nor dis∣pute touching the merits of sainctes, who either was more holie in the world, or is more glorious in heauen. For these things oftentimes breede strife, and vaine contentions g 1.7, yea and moreouer they nourish pride, & ambition, whereof spring enuie, and discordes h 1.8, whiles one doth proud∣lie contende one to be more holie, and religious than another.

The desire to learne, and to finde out these things gets no profit at al; but displeasure of the saincts. For I am not the God of dissention, but the God of peace i 1.9; which peace consi∣steth in true modestie k 1.10, notin arro∣gancie of minde l 1.11.

Some through good wil are more enclined toward these than toward those: but that doo they rather of hu∣mane affection, than of heauenlie m 1.12.

I am he who made al the saincts n 1.13, who haue endowed them with gifts o 1.14, and exalted them to glorie p 1.15; I know what euerie one hath deserued, I pre∣uented them with most liberal bles∣sings q 1.16; I before the world began fore-knew who were to be loued r 1.17; I

choase them out of the world s 1.18, not they me; I, of my great fauor, called them t 1.19, and drew them u 1.20 mercifulie vnto me; I lead them through mani∣fold tentations x 1.21, and powred most singular comforts vpon them y 1.22; I gaue them power to perseuere z 1.23, and crowned their patience a 1.24; I knowe both the first and the last b 1.25; I loue al men most wonderfulie c 1.26; I am to be praised in al my saintes d 1.27 and in each of them honored and glorified, who haue so gloriouslie exalted such as I did predestinate e 1.28, and that without anie merites at al which they had done f 1.29.

Therefore who so despiseth euen the least of my seruants, doth not ho∣nor the great g 1.30. Because I haue made the smal as wel as the great; so that he who derogates from anie of the saincts, derogates from me, and from al the partakers of the celestial king∣dome.

For al are one through the band of loue, they al thinke one thing, they minde one thing, and they loue al as one h 1.31.

Yea, which is far more strange, they loue me more than themselues, or anie merites of their owne i 1.32. For

being rauished aboue themselues, & carried awaie frō al selfe-loue, they proceede wholie into the loue of me, so that nothing can either turne them awaie, or keepe them downe k 1.33. For being ful of eternal truth, they burne with y^• fire of loue vnquench∣able.

Let therefore carnal, and fleshlie men, who know nothing but how to loue their priuate ioies l 1.34, surcesse from prating about the state of the godlie m 1.35. For they ad vnto, and dimi∣nish from their praises according as in affection they are inclined, not as pleaseth the eternal truth.

Manie are ignorant; but they espe∣cialie, who being smalie inlightened, can seldome loue anie man with a perfect spiritual affection of loue n 1.36.

Some through natural and hu∣mane affection are inclined toward these men and toward those: and as they thinke of earthlie, so they iudge of heauenlie things o 1.37.

But vnspeakeable is the difference betweene those things which vnper∣fect men do dreame of, and betwene that which men spiritualie inlighte∣ned from aboue p 1.38 do behold q 1.39.

Therefore my sonne, wade not cu∣riouslie

in those matters, which passe the reach of thy wit r 1.40: but bend thy whole studie, that thou maist be found the least in the kingdome of God s 1.41.

Now in case a man knew who were either more holie for zeale, or in place more honorable than the rest in the kingdome of heauen, what good would that knowledge bring him, but onlie to make him the more humble in my sight thereby t 1.42, and to breake the oftener into the praise of my Name!

He pleaseth God better that thin∣keth how great his sinnes, and how litle his virtues are u 1.43, and how far he is from the perfection of godlie men, than he doth which disputeth about the highnes & basenes of the saincts of God.

They glorie not of their owne me∣rites, in asmuch as they ascribe no goodnes to themselues, but confesse that whatsoeuer they haue commeth fro me x 1.44 who haue giuen them al things y 1.45 of mine infinite mercie and loue.

And they for their partes are filled with such fulnes of the Godhed, and ioie z 1.46, that they lack no glorie, nor

felicitie at al.

The saincts the more brighter in glorie, the more humble are they a 1.47, and the nigher and deerer to me. Therefore shal you finde it written, that they cast their crownes before the throne of God b 1.48, and, with faces toward y^e ground before the lambe c 1.49, worshipped him who liueth for euer and euer.

Manie reason who is greatest in the kingdome of God d 1.50, which neuer rec∣ken whether they be themselues to be counted in the nomber of y^e least.

In heauen to be euen the least is a great thing, where al be great: For al both shalbe called e 1.51 and are f 1.52 the children of God.

He that is least shal become as a thousand g 1.53; and he that is an hun∣dred yeeres old being a sinner shal die as a yong man h 1.54.

For when the disciples demanded who in y^e kingdome of heauen should be greatest, they had this answere made them i 1.55: Except ye be conuer∣ted, and become as litle children, ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen. Whosoeuer therefore shal* 1.56 humble himselfe as this litle childe, the same is the greatest in the king∣dome

of heauen.

Wo then to them who disdaine to humble themselues with litle ones. For the gate of the kingdome of hea∣uen is too lowe for them to enter in thereat k 1.57. Wo also to the rich l 1.58, who haue their comforts in this worlde. For they shal stand howling with∣out m 1.59, when the poore are entered into the kingdome of God.

But ye meeke ones n 1.60 reioice; and be glad yee poore. For yours is the kingdome of God o 1.61, obeieng or wal∣king in the truth.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Prou. 25, 2 Ecclus. 3, 22 23. 24.
• b 1.2

  Rom. 11, verse. 18. 19.
• c 1.3

  Esa. 40, 28
• d 1.4

  Psal. 119, verse. 137.
• e 1.5

  Psal. 19, 9.
• f 1.6

  Ro. 11, 33.
• g 1.7

  1. Tim. 1, 4
• h 1.8

  1. Tim. 6, 4 5.
• i 1.9

  1. Cor. 14, verse. 33.
• k 1.10

  Mat. 11, 29
• l 1.11

  Esai 57, 21
• m 1.12

  1. Cor. 3, 3 4. 5.
• n 1.13

  Gen. 2, 9,
• o 1.14

  Iam. 1, 17.
• p 1.15

  Ioh. 17, 22
• q 1.16

  Psal. 21, 3. Matth. 5, 45.
• r 1.17

  Rom. 8, 28 29. 30. 2. Tim. 1, 9.
• s 1.18

  Ioh. 15, 16.
• t 1.19

  Rom. 8, 30
• u 1.20

  Iere. 31, 3. Iohn. 6, 44. 65.
• x 1.21

  Heb. 11, 32 33. 34.
• y 1.22

  Ps. 94, 19. 2. Cor. 1, 7. 2. Cor. 7, 4. 5. 6. 7.
• z 1.23

  Phil. 1, 12. 13. 14. Phili. 2, 30.
• a 1.24

  2. Tim. 2, verse. 12. Reu. 2, 26.
• b 1.25

  Mat. 19, 30
• c 1.26

  Mat. 5, 45. 1. Tim 2, 4.
• d 1.27

  Psa. 148, 1. 2, &c. Psal. 150, 1. 2, &c.
• e 1.28

  Rom. 8, 30 Ephes. 1, 4. 5.
• f 1.29

  2. Tim. 1, 9
• g 1.30

  Mat. 10, 40 Mat. 18, 10. Matt. 25, 45. Luk. 10, 16.
• h 1.31

  Ro. 12, 4.
• i 1.32

  Exo. 32, 32
• k 1.33

  Rom. 5, 3. 4. 5. Rom. 8, 35. 36.
• l 1.34

  1. Co. 13, 5.
• m 1.35

  1. Cor. 2, verse. 14.
• n 1.36

  1. Ioh. 2, 9. 10, &c.
• o 1.37

  Wisd. 9, 13 14. 15. Iohn. 8, 15. Iohn. 3, 3. 4. 5.
• p 1.38

  2. Tim. 3, verse. 16. 2. Pet. 1, 21.
• q 1.39

  Mat. 13, 11. Iohn. 8, 23. 2. Cor. 2, 14. 15. 16.
• r 1.40

  Eccl. 3, 22. 23. 24.
• s 1.41

  Matth. 5, 3.
• t 1.42

  Eccles. 1, verse. 13.
• u 1.43

  Mat. 18, 1. 2.
• x 1.44

  1. Cor. 4, 6 7.
• y 1.45

  Iam. 1, 17.
• z 1.46

  Psa. 16, 11. Ioh. 16, 22. 33.
• a 1.47

  2. Cor. 12, verse. 4. 5. 10.
• b 1.48

  Reu. 4, 10. 11.
• c 1.49

  Reuel. 5, 8. 12. 13.
• d 1.50

  Mat. 18, 1. Mark. 9, 34. Luke. 9, 46.
• e 1.51

  Matt. 5, 9. Matth 6, 9.
• f 1.52

  Mat. 13, 38 Matt. 25, 34.
• g 1.53

  Esa. 60, 22
• h 1.54

  Esa. 65, 20
• i 1.55

  Matt. 18, 3.
• * 1.56

  4.
• k 1.57

  Mat. 7, 13.
• l 1.58

  Luk. 6, 24.
• m 1.59

  Matt. 25, verse. 41. Luk. 16, 23. 24.
• n 1.60

  Matth. 11, verse. 29.
• o 1.61

  Matth. 5, 3