The Imitation of Christ
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Thomas a Kempis >> The Imitation of Christ
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2. But they who love Jesus for Jesus' sake, and not for any
consolation of their own, bless Him in all tribulation and
anguish of heart as in the highest consolation. And if He should
never give them consolation, nevertheless they would always
praise Him and always give Him thanks.
3. Oh what power hath the pure love of Jesus, unmixed with any
gain or love of self! Should not all they be called mercenary
who are always seeking consolations? Do they not prove
themselves lovers of self more than of Christ who are always
seeking their own gain and advantage? Where shall be found one
who is willing to serve God altogether for nought?
4. Rarely is any one found so spiritual as to be stripped of all
selfish thoughts, for who shall find a man truly poor in spirit
and free of all created things? "His value is from afar, yea
from the ends of the earth." A man may give away all his goods,
yet that is nothing; and if he do many deeds of penitence, yet
that is a small thing; and though he understand all knowledge,
yet that is afar off; and if he have great virtue and zealous
devotion, yet much is lacking unto him, yea, one thing which is
the most necessary to him of all. What is it then? That having
given up all things besides, he give up himself and go forth from
himself utterly, and retain nothing of self-love; and having done
all things which he knoweth to be his duty to do, that he feel
that he hath done nothing. Let him not reckon that much which
might be much esteemed, but let him pronounce himself to be in
truth an unprofitable servant, as the Truth Himself saith, When
ye have done all things that are commanded you, say, we are
unprofitable servants.(1) Then may he be truly poor and naked in
spirit, and be able to say with the Prophet, As for me, I am poor
and needy.(2) Nevertheless, no man is richer than he, no man
stronger, no man freer. For he knoweth both how to give up
himself and all things, and how to be lowly in his own eyes.
(1) Luke xvii. 10. (2) Psalm xxv. 16.
CHAPTER XII
Of the royal way of the Holy Cross
That seemeth a hard saying to many, If any man will come after
Me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow Me.(1)
But it will be much harder to hear that last sentence, Depart
from me, ye wicked, into eternal fire.(2) For they who now
willingly hear the word of the Cross and follow it, shall not
then fear the hearing of eternal damnation. This sign of the
Cross shall be in heaven when the Lord cometh to Judgment. Then
all servants of the Cross, who in life have conformed themselves
to the Crucified, shall draw nigh unto Christ the Judge with
great boldness.
2. Why fearest thou then to take up the cross which leadeth to a
kingdom? In the Cross is health, in the Cross is life, in the
Cross is protection from enemies, in the Cross is heavenly
sweetness, in the Cross strength of mind, in the Cross joy of
spirit, in the Cross the height of virtue, in the Cross
perfection of holiness. There is no health of the soul, no hope
of eternal life, save in the Cross. Take up therefore, thy cross
and follow Jesus and thou shalt go into eternal life. He went
before thee bearing His Cross and died for thee upon the Cross,
that thou also mayest bear thy cross and mayest love to be
crucified upon it. For if thou be dead with Him, thou shalt also
live with Him, and if thou be a partaker of His sufferings thou
shalt be also of His glory.
3. Behold everything dependeth upon the Cross, and everything
lieth in dying; and there is none other way unto life and to true
inward peace, except the way of the Holy Cross and of daily
mortification. Go where thou wilt, seek whatsoever thou wilt,
and thou shalt find no higher way above nor safer way below, than
the way of the Holy Cross. Dispose and order all things
according to thine own will and judgment, and thou shalt ever
find something to suffer either willingly or unwillingly, and
thus thou shalt ever find thy cross. For thou shalt either feel
pain of body, or tribulation of spirit within thy soul.
4. Sometimes thou wilt be forsaken of God, sometimes thou wilt be
tried by thy neighbour, and which is more, thou wilt often by
wearisome to thyself. And still thou canst not be delivered nor
eased by any remedy or consolation, but must bear so long as God
will. For God will have thee learn to suffer tribulation without
consolation, and to submit thyself fully to it, and by
tribulation by made more humble. No man understandeth the
Passion of Christ in his heart so well as he who hath had
somewhat of the life suffering himself. The Cross therefore is
always ready, and every where waiteth for thee. Thou canst not
flee from it whithersoever thou hurriest, for withersoever thou
comest, thou bearest thyself with thee, and shalt ever find
thyself. Turn thee above, turn thee below, turn thee without,
turn thee within, and in them all thou shalt find the Cross; and
needful is it that thou everywhere possess patience if thou wilt
have internal peace and gain the everlasting crown.
5. If thou willingly bear the Cross, it will bear thee, and will
bring thee to the end which thou seekest, even where there shall
be the end of suffering; though it shall not be here. If thou
bear it unwillingly, thou makest a burden for thyself and greatly
increaseth thy load, and yet thou must bear it. If thou cast
away one cross, without doubt thou shalt find another and
perchance a heavier.
6. Thinketh thou to escape what no mortal hath been able to
avoid? Which of the saints in the world hath been without the
cross and tribulation? For not even Jesus Christ our Lord was
one hour without the anguish of His Passion, so long as He lived.
It behooved, He said, Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so to enter into his glory.(3) And how dost thou seek
another way than this royal way, which is the way of the Holy
Cross?
7. The whole life of Christ was a cross and martyrdom, and dost
thou seek for thyself rest and joy? Thou art wrong, thou art
wrong, if thou seekest aught but to suffer tribulations, for this
whole mortal life is full of miseries, and set round with
crosses. And the higher a man hath advanced in spirit, the
heavier crosses he will often find, because the sorrow of his
banishment increaseth with the strength of his love.
8. But yet the man who is thus in so many wise afflicted, is not
without refreshment of consolation, because he feeleth abundant
fruit to be growing within him out of the bearing of his cross.
For whilst he willing submitteth himself to it, every burden of
tribulation is turned into an assurance of divine comfort, and
the more the flesh is wasted by affliction, the more is the
spirit strengthened mightily by inward grace. And ofttimes so
greatly is he comforted by the desire for tribulation and
adversity, through love of conformity to the Cross of Christ,
that he would not be without sorrow and tribulation; for he
believeth that he shall be the more acceptable to God, the more
and the heavier burdens he is able to bear for His sake. That is
not the virtue of man, but the grace of Christ which hath such
power and energy in the weak flesh, that what it naturally hateth
and fleeth from, this it draweth to and loveth through fervour of
spirit.
9. It is not in the nature of man to bear the cross, to love the
cross, to keep under the body and to bring it into subjection, to
fly from honours, to bear reproaches meekly, to despise self and
desire to be despised, to bear all adversities and losses, and to
desire no prosperity in this world. If thou lookest to thyself,
thou wilt of thyself be able to do none of this; but if thou
trustest in the Lord, endurance shall be given thee from heaven,
and the world and the flesh shall be made subject to thy command.
Yea, thou shalt not even fear thine adversary the devil, if thou
be armed with faith and signed with the Cross of Christ.
10. Set thyself, therefore, like a good and faithful servant of
Christ, to the manful bearing of the Cross of thy Lord, who out
of love was crucified for thee. Prepare thyself for the bearing
many adversities and manifold troubles in this wretched life;
because so it shall be with thee wheresoever thou art, and so in
very deed thou shalt find it, wherever thou hide thyself. This
it must be; and there is no means of escaping from tribulation
and sorrow, except to bear them patiently. Drink thou lovingly
thy Lord's cup if thou desirest to be His friend and to have thy
lot with Him. Leave consolations to God, let Him do as seemeth
best to Him concerning them. But do thou set thyself to endure
tribulations, and reckon them the best consolations; for the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us,(4) nor would they
be even if thou wert to endure them all.
11. When thou hast come to this, that tribulation is sweet and
pleasant to thee for Christ's sake, then reckon that it is well
with thee, because thou hast found paradise on earth. So long as
it is hard to thee to suffer and thou desirest to escape, so long
it will not be well with thee, and tribulations will follow thee
everywhere.
12. If thou settest thyself to that thou oughtest, namely, to
suffer and to die, it shall soon go better with thee, and thou
shalt find peace. Though thou shouldest be caught up with Paul
unto the third heaven,(5) thou art not on that account secure
from suffering evil. I will show him, saith Jesus, what great
things he must suffer for My Name's sake.(6) It remaineth,
therefore, to thee to suffer, if thou wilt love Jesus and serve
Him continually.
13. Oh that thou wert worthy to suffer something for the name of
Jesus, how great glory should await thee, what rejoicing among
all the saints of God, what bright example also to thy neighbour!
For all me commend patience, although few be willing to practise
it. Thou oughtest surely to suffer a little for Christ when many
suffer heavier things for the world.
14. Know thou of a surety that thou oughtest to lead the life of
a dying man. And the more a man dieth to himself, the more he
beginneth to live towards God. None is fit for the understanding
of heavenly things, unless he hath submitted himself to bearing
adversities for Christ. Nothing more acceptable to God, nothing
more healthful for thyself in this world, than to suffer
willingly for Christ. And if it were thine to choose, thou
oughtest rather to wish to suffer adversities for Christ, than to
be refreshed with manifold consolations, for thou wouldest be
more like Christ and more conformed to all saints. For our
worthiness and growth in grace lieth not in many delights and
consolations, but rather in bearing many troubles and
adversities.
15. If indeed there had been anything better and more profitable
to the health of men than to suffer, Christ would surely have
shown it by word and example. For both the disciples who
followed Him, and all who desire to follow Him, He plainly
exhorteth to bear their cross, and saith, If any man will come
after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow
Me.(7) So now that we have throughly read and studied all
things, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. We must
through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.(8)
(1) Matthew xvi. 24. (2) Matthew xxv. 41. (3) Luke xxiv. 46.
(4) Romans viii. 18. (5) 2 Corinthians xii. 2.
(6) Acts ix. 16. (7) Luke ix. 23. (8) Acts xiv. 21.
THE THIRD BOOK
ON INWARD CONSOLATION
CHAPTER I
Of the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul
I will hearken what the Lord God shall say within me.(1) Blessed
is the soul which heareth the Lord speaking within it, and
receiveth the word of consolation from His mouth. Blessed are
the ears which receive the echoes of the soft whisper of God, and
turn not aside to the whisperings of this world. Blessed truly
are the ears which listen not to the voice that soundeth without,
but to that which teacheth truth inwardly. Blessed are the eyes
which are closed to things without, but are fixed upon things
within. Blessed are they who search inward things and study to
prepare themselves more and more by daily exercises for the
receiving of heavenly mysteries. Blessed are they who long to
have leisure for God, and free themselves from every hindrance of
the world. Think on these things, O my soul, and shut the doors
of thy carnal desires, so mayest thou hear what the Lord God will
say within thee.
2. These things saith thy Beloved, "I am thy salvation, I am thy
peace and thy life. Keep thee unto Me, and thou shalt find
peace." Put away thee all transitory things, seek those things
that are eternal. For what are all temporal things but deceits,
and what shall all created things help thee if thou be forsaken
by the Creator. Therefore put all things else awaym and give
thyself to the Creator, to be well pleasing and faithful to Him,
that thou mayest be able to attain true blessedness.
(1) Psalm lxxxv. 8.
CHAPTER II
What the truth saith inwardly without noise of words
Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth.(1) I am Thy servant; O give
me understanding that I may know Thy testimonies. Incline my
heart unto the words of Thy mouth.(2) Let thy speech distil as
the dew. The children of Israel spake in old time to Moses,
Speak thou unto us and we will hear, but let not the Lord speak
unto us lest we die.(3) Not thus, O Lord, not thus do I pray,
but rather with Samuel the prophet, I beseech Thee humbly and
earnestly, Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth. Let not Moses
speak to me, nor any prophet, but rather speak Thou, O Lord, who
didst inspire and illuminate all the prophets; for Thou alone
without them canst perfectly fill me with knowledge, whilst they
without Thee shall profit nothing.
2. They can indeed utter words, but they give not the spirit.
They speak with exceeding beauty, but when Thou art silent they
kindle not the heart. They give us scriptures, but Thou makest
known the sense thereof. They bring us mysteries, but Thou
revealest the things which are signified. They utter
commandments, but Thou helpest to the fulfilling of them. They
show the way, but Thou givest strength for the journey. They act
only outwardly, but Thou dost instruct and enlighten the heart.
They water, but Thou givest the increase. They cry with words,
but Thou givest understanding to the hearer.
3. Therefore let not Moses speak to me, but Thou, O Lord my God,
Eternal Truth; lest I die and bring forth no fruit, being
outwardly admonished, but not enkindled within; lest the word
heard but not followed, known but not loved, believed but not
obeyed, rise up against me in the judgment. Speak, Lord, for Thy
servant heareth; Thou hast the words of eternal life.(4) Speak
unto me for some consolation unto my soul, for the amendment of
my whole life, and for the praise and glory and eternal honour of
Thy Name.
(1) I Samuel iii. 9. (2) Psalm cxix. 125. (3) Exodus xx. 19.
(4) John vi. 68.
CHAPTER III
How all the words of God are to be heard with humility, and how
many consider them not
"My Son, hear My words, for My words are most sweet, surpassing
all the knowledge of the philosophers and wise men of this world.
My words are spirit, and they are life,(1) and are not to be
weighed by man's understanding. They are not to be drawn forth
for vain approbation, but to be heard in silence, and to be
received with all humilty and with deep love."
2. And I said, "Blessed is the man whom Thou teachest, O Lord,
and instructest him in Thy law, that Thou mayest give him rest in
time of adversity,(2) and that he be not desolate in the earth."
3. "I," saith the Lord, "taught the prophets from the beginning,
and even now cease I not to speak unto all; but many are deaf and
hardened against My voice; many love to listen to the world
rather than to God, they follow after the desires of the flesh
more readily than after the good pleasure of God. The world
promiseth things that are temporal and small, and it is served
with great eagerness. I promise things that are great and
eternal, and the hearts of mortals are slow to stir. Who serveth
and obeyeth Me in all things, with such carfulness as he serveth
the world and its rulers?
Be thou ashamed, O Sidon, saith the sea;
And if thou reason seekest, hear thou me.(3)
For a little reward men make a long journey; for eternal life
many will scarce lift a foot once from the ground. Mean reward
is sought after; for a single piece of money sometimes there is
shameful striving; for a thing which is vain and for a trifling
promise, men shrink not from toiling day and night."
4. "But, O shame! for an unchangeable good, for an inestimable
reward, for the highest honour and for a glory that fadeth not
away, it is irksome to them to toil even a little. Be thou
ashamed therefore, slothful and discontented servant, for they
are found readier unto perdition than thou unto life. They
rejoice more heartily in vanity than thou in the truth.
Sometimes, indeed, they are disappointed of their hope, but my
promise faileth no man, nor sendeth away empty him who trusteth
in Me. What I have promised I will give; what I have said I will
fulfil; if only a man remain faithful in My love unto the end.
Therefore am I the rewarder of all good men, and a strong
approver of all who are godly.
5. "Write My words in thy heart and consider them diligently, for
they shall be very needful to thee in time of temptation. What
thou understandest not when thou readest, thou shalt know in the
time of thy visitation. I am wont to visit Mine elect in twofold
manner, even by temptation and by comfort, and I teach them two
lessons day by day, the one in chiding their faults, the other in
exhorting them to grow in grace. He who hath my words and
rejecteth them hath one who shall judge him at the last day."
A PRAYER FOR THE SPIRIT OF DEVOTION
6. O Lord my God, Thou are all my good, and who am I that I
should dare to speak unto Thee? I am the very poorest of Thy
servants, an abject worm, much poorer and more despicable than I
know or dare to say. Nevertheless remember, O Lord, that I am
nothing, I have nothing, and can do nothing. Thou only art good,
just and holy; Thou canst do all things, art over all things,
fillest all things, leaving empty only the sinner. Call to mind
Thy tender mercies, and fill my heart with Thy grace, Thou who
wilt not that Thy work should return to Thee void.
7. How can I bear this miserable life unless Thy mercy and grace
strengthen me? Turn not away Thy face from me, delay not Thy
visitation. Withdraw not Thou Thy comfort from me, lest my soul
"gasp after thee as a thirsty land." Lord, teach me to do Thy
will, teach me to walk humbly and uprightly before Thee, for Thou
are my wisdom, who knowest me in truth, and knewest me before the
world was made and before I was born into the world.
(1) John vi. 63. (2) Psalm xciv. 13. (3) Isaiah xxiii. 4.
CHAPTER IV
How we must walk in truth and humility before God
"My Son! walk before Me in truth, and in the simplicity of thy
heart seek Me continually. He who walketh before Me in the truth
shall be safe from evil assaults, and the truth shall deliver him
from the wiles and slanders of the wicked. If the truth shall
make thee free, thou shalt be free indeed, and shalt not care for
the vain words of men."
2. Lord, it is true as Thou sayest let it, I pray Thee, be so
with me; let Thy truth teach me, let it keep me and preserve me
safe unto the end. Let it free me from all evil and inordinate
affection, and I will walk before Thee in great freedom of heart.
3. "I will teach thee," saith the Truth, "the things which are
right and pleasing before Me. Think upon thy sins with great
displeasure and sorrow, and never think thyself anything because
of thy good works. Verily thou art a sinner, liable to many
passions, yea, tied and bound with them. Of thyself thou always
tendest unto nothing, thou wilt quickly fall, quickly be
conquered, quickly disturbed, quickly undone. Thou hast nought
whereof to glory, but many reasons why thou shouldest reckon
thyself vile, for thou art far weaker than thou art able to
comprehend.
4. "Let, therefore, nothing which thou doest seem to thee great;
let nothing be grand, nothing of value or beauty, nothing worthy
of honour, nothing lofty, nothing praiseworthy or desirable,
save what is eternal. Let the eternal truth please thee above
all things, let thine own great vileness displease thee
continually. Fear, denounce, flee nothing so much as thine own
faults and sins, which ought to be more displeasing to thee than
any loss whatsoever of goods. There are some who walk not
sincerely before me, but being led by curiosity and pride, they
desire to know my secret things and to understand the deep things
of God, whilst they neglect themselves and their salvation.
These often fall into great temptations and sins because of their
pride and curiosity, for I am against them.
5. "Fear thou the judgments of God, fear greatly the wrath of the
Almighty. Shrink from debating upon the works of the Most High,
but search narrowly thine own iniquities into what great sins
thou hast fallen, and how many good things thou hast neglected.
There are some who carry their devotion only in books, some in
pictures, some in outward signs and figures; some have Me in
their mouths but little in their hearts. Others there are who,
being enlightened in their understanding and purged in their
affections, continually long after eternal things, hear of
earthly things with unwillingness, obey the necessities of nature
with sorrow. And these understand what the Spirit of truth
speaketh in them; for He teacheth them to despise earthly things
and to love heavenly; to neglect the world and to desire heaven
all the day and night."
CHAPTER V
Of the wonderful power of the Divine Love
I bless Thee, O Heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ,
for that Thou hast vouchsafed to think of me, poor that I am. O,
Father of Mercies and God of all comfort,(1) I give thanks unto
Thee, who refreshest me sometimes with thine own comfort, when I
am unworthy of any comfort. I bless and glorify Thee
continually, with thine only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, the
Paraclete, for ever and ever. O Lord God, Holy lover of my soul,
when Thou shalt come into my heart, all my inward parts shall
rejoice. Thou art my glory and the joy of my heart. Thou art my
hope and my refuge in the day of my trouble.
2. But because I am still weak in love and imperfect in virtue, I
need to be strengthened and comforted by Thee; therefore visit
Thou me often and instruct me with Thy holy ways of discipline.
Deliver me from evil passions, and cleanse my heart from all
inordinate affections, that, being healed and altogether cleansed
within, I may be made ready to love, strong to suffer, steadfast
to endure.
3. Love is a great thing, a good above all others, which alone
maketh every heavy burden light, and equaliseth every inequality.
For it beareth the burden and maketh it no burden, it maketh
every bitter thing to be sweet and of good taste. The surpassing
love of Jesus impelleth to great works, and exciteth to the
continual desiring of greater perfection. Love willeth to be
raised up, and not to be held down by any mean thing. Love
willeth to be free and aloof from all worldly affection, lest its
inward power of vision be hindered, lest it be entangled by any
worldly prosperity or overcome by adversity. Nothing is sweeter
than love, nothing stronger, nothing loftier, nothing broader,
nothing pleasanter, nothing fuller or better in heaven nor on
earth, for love was born of God and cannot rest save in God above
all created things.
4. He who loveth flyeth, runneth, and is glad; he is free and not
hindered. He giveth all things for all things, and hath all
things in all things, because he resteth in One who is high above
all, from whom every good floweth and proceedeth. He looketh not
for gifts, but turneth himself to the Giver above of all good
things. Love oftentimes knoweth no measure, but breaketh out
above all measure; love feeleth no burden, reckoneth not labours,
striveth after more than it is able to do, pleadeth not
impossibility, because it judgeth all things which are lawful for
it to be possible. It is strong therefore for all things, and it
fulfilleth many things, and is successful where he who loveth not
faileth and lieth down.
5. Love is watchful, and whilst sleeping still keepeth watch;
though fatigued it is not weary, though pressed it is not forced,
though alarmed it is nor terrified, but like the living flame and
the burning torch, it breaketh forth on high and securely
triumpheth. If a man loveth, he knoweth what this voice crieth.
For the ardent affection of the soul is a great clamour in the
ears of God, and it saith: My God, my Beloved! Thou art all
mine, and I am all Thine.
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