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. 8. How to trie a true freend; also, how to resist the enimie.

LORD.

MY sonne, as yet thou art not a stoute, and prudent louer.

SERVANT.

Why Lord?

LORD.

For as much as a litle as∣sault makes thee to leaue off a 1.1, and ouer greedilie thou seekest conso∣lation.

A valiant louer endureth tentati∣ons, and giueth no eare to the subtile persuasions of the enimie: and ther∣fore he so liketh prosperitie, y^t with aduersitie he wil not be trobled b 1.2.

A wise louer respecteth not so much the gift of the louer, as the loue of the giuer; he looketh more on the minde, than on the thing; and waieth no gifts in respect of his freend.

The noble louer resteth not in the gift, but in me aboue al gifts.

Neither must thou by and by be out of hart, though sometime thou thinke not so reuerendlie, as thou wouldest, either of me, or my ser∣uants.

That good and sweete affection wherewith thou art delighted now and then, is an affection of present fauor, and a certaine fore-taste of the celestial contrie, on which fore-taste thou must not too much depend, be∣cause it altereth manie-times. But to striue against the wicked motions of the minde, and to despise the intice∣ments of Satan c 1.3, is doubtles a va∣liant exploit, highlie pleasing God.

So that no cause is there why these

absurd imaginations, which are wont to arise of euerie trifling occasion, should so torment thee: perseuere constantlie in thy purpose d 1.4, & serue God with an vpright affection.

Neither is it an illusion, that thou sodeinlie sometimes art rauished vp on hie, and by and by cast downe vn∣to the old vanities of the minde e 1.5: which, for asmuch as thou sufferest them rather against thy wil f 1.6; than willinglie, as long as they displease thee, & thou strugglest against them, they are rather profitable than hurt∣ful.

Know this for a certaintie, the drift of the olde enimie is to hinder thy studie of godlines, and to withdrawe thee from al exercise of religion g 1.7, that is to saie, from the godlie re∣membrance of the paines of Christ, from the care of thy saluation, and from thy purpose to go forwarde in wel doing h 1.8.

Manie wicked cogitations doth the enimie bring into thy minde i 1.9, to make thee to loath & abhor praier, and the reading of y^c holie Scripture. He cannot abide an hūble confession of sins, & if he could, he would with∣draw thee also from the cōmunion.

But beleeue him not, though ma∣nietimes he laie snares to entrap thee, care not for him. Turne them vpon his owne pate, when he prouo∣keth thee to wickednes, and saie vn∣to him k 1.10: Auoide Satan, thou vn∣cleane Spirite, blushe thou cursed wretch, thou whiche puttest these things into my head, auoide I saie; thou wouldest carrie me awaie frō my God, but thou shalt not. For Iesus wil assist me, and so thou shalt but get a shameful foile. I had rather die, and suffer anie thing, than consent to thee l 1.11. Wherefore be quiet, and hold thy peace, for I wil not heare thee though thou trouble me neuer so much m 1.12. The Lorde is my light, and my saluation n 1.13, whome shal I feare? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whome shal I be afraide? Though* 1.14 an hoste pitched against me, mine hart should not be afraide, the Lord protecting and deliuering me.

Thou therefore striue couragi∣ouslie as a good soldier o 1.15: and if at a∣nie time of infirmitie thou fal, take a better hart vnto thee, and doubt not of mine especial fauor p 1.16: and in anie wise beware of pride, and arrogancie, a cause why manie are led into error,

and fal into blindnes almost incura∣ble manie times q 1.17.

Let the fal of those proude ones, foolishlie arrogating too much to themselues r 1.18, be a continual warning to thee to beware of pride.

Notes

• a 1.1

  1. Iohn. 4, verse. 18.
• b 1.2

  Psal. 16, 8. Actes. 2, 44. 1. Pet. 5, 10.
• c 1.3

  1. Pet. 5, 8. 9.
• d 1.4

  Psal. 25, 2. Psal. 27, 14.
• e 1.5

  2. Cor. 12, verse. 7.
• f 1.6

  Roman. 7, vers 17, &c.
• g 1.7

  1 Pet. 5, 8.
• h 1.8

  Matth. 13, verse. 25. 39.
• i 1.9

  Matth. 13, verse. 25. 26.
• k 1.10

  Mat. 4, 10.
• l 1.11

  Roman. 8, vers. 35, &c.
• m 1.12

  Matt. 16, verse. 23.
• n 1.13

  Psal. 27, 1
• * 1.14

  3.
• o 1.15

  2. Tim. 2, 3
• p 1.16

  Psal. 91, 2. 3.
• q 1.17

  Rom. 1, 21. 24, &c.
• r 1.18

  Rom. 11, 18 19. 20. 1. Pet. 5, 5. Luk. 18, 14. Esai. 14, 10. 11, &c. 2. Pet. 2, 4.