The imitation of Christ divided into four books / written in Latin by Thomas à Kempis ; and the translations of it corrected & amended by W.P.

CHAP. III.

That it is profitable to communi∣cate often.

The voice of the Disciple.

BEhold, O Lord, I come unto thee, that I may be comforted in thy gifts, and be delighted in thy holy ban∣quet, which thou, O Lord, hast prepa∣red in thy sweetnesse, for the poore.

2 Behold in thee is all whatsoever I can, or ought to desire: thou art my health, and my redemption, my hope and my strength, my honour and my glory.

3 Make joyfull therefore this day, the soule of thy servant, for that I have lifted it up to thee my sweet Iesus, I de∣sire to receave thee now with devotion, and reverence.

4 I doe long to bring thee into my house, that with Zachreus I may ob∣taine to be blessed by thee, and num∣bred amongst the children of Abra∣ham.

5 My soule thirsteth to receave thy body, my heart desireth to be united with thee.

6 Give thy selfe to me, and it suf∣ficeth: For besides thee no comfort is availeable, I cannot be without thee, nor live without thy gracious visitation.

7 And therefore I must often come unto thee, and receave thee as the only remedy of my health, lest perhaps I faint in the way, if I be de∣prived of thy heavenly food.

8 For so, most mercifull Iesus, thou once didst say, preaching to the people, and curing sundry diseases, I will not send them home fasting, lest they faint in the way.

9 Deale thou therefore in like manner now with me, who hast vouchsafed to leave thy selfe in the Sa∣crament for the comfort of the faith∣full.

10 For thou art the sweet refecti∣on of the soule, and he that eateth thee worthily, shall be partaker, and heire of everlasting glory.

11 It is necessary for me, that doe so often fall and sinne, so quickly waxe dull and faint, that by often prayers and confessions, and receaving of thy sacred body, I renew, clense, and in∣flame my selfe, lest perhaps by long

abstayning. I fall from my holy pur∣pose:

12 For man is prone unto evill from his youth, and unlesse this divine remedy helpe him, he quickly slideth to worse.

13 This holy communion there∣fore draweth back from evill, and com∣forteth in good.

14 For if I be now so often slack and negligent when I communicate or officiate, what would become of mee, if I receaved not this remedy, & sought not after so great helpe.

15 Though every day I be not sit, not well prepared to communicate, I will endeavour notwithstanding at convenient times to receave the divine mysteries, and make my selfe partaker of so great a grace.

16 For this is the only chiefe com∣fort of a faithfull soule, whilest she wandreth from thee in this mortall bo∣dy, that being mindfull of her God, she often receave her beloved with a devout minde.

17 O wonderfull benignity of thy mercy towards us, that thou, Lord God, the Creator and giver of life to all

spirits, doest vouchsafe to come unto a poore soule;

18 And with thy whole Deity and Humanity to turn her hunger into sa∣tiety •• o happy minde and blessed soule that is vouchsafed to receave thee her Lord God, with devout affection, and in receaving of thee to be filled with spirituall joy!

19 O how great a Lord doth she entertaine? How beloved a guest doth she harbour? how pleasant a compani∣on doth she receave? how faithfull •• friend doth she accept? how beautifull and noble a spouse doth she imbrace?

20 Shee imbraceth him who is to be loved above all that is beloved, and above all things that may be desired. Let heaven and earth & all their beau∣ty be silent in thy presence:

21 For what beauty and praise soever they have, it is receaved from thy honour, and shall not equall the beauty of thy name, of whose wisdome there is no end.