Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 07 - The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis

Transcript

07 - The Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis · Philosophy and Faith

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter eleven, that the desires of the heart are to
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: be examined and governed. My son, thou hast still many
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: things to learn, which thou hast not well learned. Yet
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: what are they? Lord to place thy desire altogether in
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: subjection to my good pleasure, and not to be a
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: lover of thyself, but an earnest seeker of my will.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Thy desires often excite and urge THEE forward. But consider
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: with thyself whether thou art not more moved for thine
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: own objects than for my honor. If it is myself
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: that thou seekest, thou shalt be well content with whatsoever
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: I shall ordain. But if any pursuit of thine own
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: lieth hidden within THEE, behold, it is this which hindereth,
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: and weigheth THEE down. Beware, therefore, lest thou strive too
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: earnestly after some desire which thou hast conceived without taking
• 1:10
  Speaker 1: counsel of me, lest haply it repents the afterwards, and
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: that displease THEE which before pleased, and for which thou
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: didst long as for a great good. For not every
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: affection which seemeth good is to be forthwith followed neither
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: is every opposite affection to be immediately avoided. Sometimes it
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: is expedient to use restraint, even in good desires and wishes,
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: lest through importunity thou fall into distraction of mind, Lest
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: through want of discipline, thou become a stumbling block to others,
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: Or lest by the resistance of others thou be suddenly
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: disturbed and brought to confusion. Sometimes, indeed, it is needful
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: to use violence and manfully to strive against the sensual appetite,
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: and not to consider what the flesh may or not will,
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: but rather to strive after this, that it may become subject,
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: however unwillingly, to the spirit. And for so long it
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: ought to be chastised and compelled to undergo slavery, even
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: until it be ready for all things, and learn to
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: be contented with little, to be delighted with things simple,
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: and never to murmur at any inconvenience. Chapter twelve, of
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: the inward growth of patience and of the struggle against
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: evil desires. O, Lord God, I see that patience is
• 2:58
  Speaker 1: very necessary untoim me, for many things in this life
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: fall out contrary. For howsoever I may have contrived for
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: my peace, my life cannot go on without strife and trouble.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: Thou speakest truly, my son, For I will not that
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: thou seek such a peace as is without trials and
• 3:23
  Speaker 1: knowest no adversities, but rather that thou shouldst judge thyself
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: to have found peace when thou art tried with manifold
• 3:32
  Speaker 1: tribulations and proved by many adversities. If thou shalt say
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: that thou art not able to bear such, how then
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: wilt thou sustain the fire hereafter? Of two evils? We
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: should always choose the less. Therefore, that thou mayest escape
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: eternal torments. Hereafter, strive on God's behalf to anen dure
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: present evils. Bravely thinkest thou that the children of this
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: world suffen nought or, But little thou wilt not find
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: it so, even though thou find out the most prosperous.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: But thou wilt say they have many delights, and they
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: follow their own wills, and thus they bear lightly their tribulations.
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: Be it so grant that they have what they list.
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: But how long thinkest thou would it last? Behold? Like
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: the smoke? Those who are rich in this world will
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: pass away, and no record shall remain of their past joys. Yea,
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: even while they yet live, they rest not without bitterness
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: and weariness and fear. For from the very same thing
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: wherein they find delight, thence they oftentimes have the punishment
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: of so tomorrow. Justly it befallth them that, because out
• 5:04
  Speaker 1: of measure they seek out and pursue pleasures, they enjoy
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: them not without confusion and bitterness. Oh how short, how false,
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: how inordinate and wicked are all these pleasures. Yet because
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: of their scottishness and blindness, men do not understand. But
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: like brute beasts, for the sake of a little pleasure,
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: of this corruptible life, they incur death of the soul. Thou, therefore,
• 5:37
  Speaker 1: my son, go not after thy lusts, but refrain thyself
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: from thine appetites. Ecclesiastes eighteen, verse thirty. Delight thou in
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: the Lord, and He shall give thee thy heart's desire.
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: Psalm thirty seven, verse four. For if thou wilt truly
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: find delight and be abundantly comforted of Me, behold, in
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: the contempt of all worldly things, and in the avoidance
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: of all worthless pleasures, shall be thy blessing and fullness
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: of consolation. Shall be given thee. And the more thou
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: withdrawest thyself from all solace of creatures, the more sweet
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: and powerful consolations thou shalt find, But at the first
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: thou shalt not attain to them without some sorrow and
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: hard striving. Long accustomed habit will oppose, but it shall
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: be overcome by better habit. The flesh will murmur again
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: and again, but will be restrained by fervor of spirit.
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: The old serpent will urge and embitter thee, but will
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: be put to flight by prayer. Moreover by useful labour.
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: His entrance will be greatly obstructed. Chapter thirteen of the
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: Obedience of One in lowly subjection, after the example of
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ my son. He who striveth to withdraw himself
• 7:23
  Speaker 1: from obedience withdraweth himself also from grace. And he who
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: seeketh private advantages loseth those which are common unto all.
• 7:36
  Speaker 1: If a man submit not freely and willingly to one
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: set over him, it is a sign that his flesh
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: is not yet perfectly subject to himself, but often resisteth
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: and murmureth. Learn therefore quickly to submit thyself to him
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: who is over thee. If thou seekest to bring thine
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: own flesh into subjection, For the outward enemy is very
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: quickly overcome if the inner man have not been laid low.
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: There is no more grievous and deadly enemy to the
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: soul than thou art to thyself. If thou art not
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: led by the spirit, Thou must not altogether conceive contempt
• 8:22
  Speaker 1: for thyself, if thou wilt prevail against flesh and blood,
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: Because as yet thou inordinately lovest thyself, therefore thou shrinkest
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: from yielding thyself to the will of others. But what
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: great thing is it that thou, who art dust and nothingness,
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: yieldest thyself to man for God's sake? When I, the
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: Almighty and the most High, who created all things out
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: of nothing, subjected myself to man for thy sake, I
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: became the most humble and despised of men, that by
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: my humility thou mightst overcome thy pride. Learn to obey
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: o dust, Learn to humble thyself o earth and clay,
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: and to bow thyself beneath the feet of all. Learn
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: to crush thy passions, and to yield thyself to all subjection.
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: Be zealous against thyself nor suffer pride to live within THEE,
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: but to show thyself subject and of no reputation, that
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: all may be able to walk over THEE and tread
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: THEE down as the clay in the streets. What hast thou,
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: O foolish man, of which to complain? What O vile
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: sinner canst thou answer those who speak against THEE? Seeing
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: thou hast so often offended God, and many a time
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: hast deserved hell. But mine eye hath spared THEE, because
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: thy soul was precious in my sight, that thou mightest
• 10:13
  Speaker 1: know my love, and mightest be thankful for my benefits,
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: and that thou mightest give thyself altogether to true subjection
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: and humility, and patiently bear the contempt which thou meritest
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: Chapter fourteen of Meditation, upon the hidden judgments of God,
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: that we may not be lifted up because of our
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: well doing. Thou sendest forth thy judgments against me, O Lord,
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: and shakest all my bones with fear and trembling, and
• 10:53
  Speaker 1: my soul trembleth exceedingly. I stand astonished, and remember that
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: the heaven are not clean in thy sight. Job fifteen,
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: verse fifteen. If thou chargest thine angels with folly, and
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: didst spare them not? Then how shall it be unto me?
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: Stars have fallen from heaven, And what shall I dare?
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: Who am but dust? They whose works seemed to be
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: praiseworthy fell into the lowest depths, And they who did
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: eat angels food them? Have I seen delighted with the
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: husks that the swine do eat. There is therefore no
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: holiness if thou, O Lord, withdraw thine hand. No wisdom profiteth.
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: If thou leave off to guide the helm, No strength
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: availeth if thou ceast to preserve. No purity is secure
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: if thou protect it not, no self keeping availeth if
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: thy holy watching be not there. For when we are
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: left alone, we are swallowed up and perish. But when
• 12:13
  Speaker 1: we are visited, we are raised up and we live.
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: How indeed we are unstable, but are made strong through THEE.
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: We grow cold, but are rekindled by THEE. Oh how
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: humbly and abjectly must I reckon of myself? How must
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: I weigh it as nothing? If I seem to have
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: nothing good? Oh? How profoundly ought I to submit myself
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: to thy unfathomable judgments? O? Lord, when I find myself
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: nothing else save nothing, and again nothing. Oh wait, unmeasurable
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: o ocean which cannot be crossed over, where I find
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: nothing of myself save nothing altogether. Where then is the
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: hiding place of glory, where the confidence begotten of virtue,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: All vain glory is swallowed up in the depths of
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: thy judgments against me? What is all flesh in thy sight?
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: For how shall the clay boast against him that fashioned it?
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: Psalm twenty nine, verse sixteen. How can he be lifted
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: up in vain speech whose heart is subjected in truth
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: to God? The whole world shall not lift him up
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: whom truth hath subdued, Nor shall he be moved by
• 13:48
  Speaker 1: the mouth of all who praise him, who hath placed
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: all his hope in God. For they themselves who speak, behold,
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: they are all nothing. For they shall cease with the
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: sound of their words. But the truth of the Lord
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: endureth forever. Psalm one hundred and seventeen, verse two, Chapter fifteen.
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: How we must stand and speak in everything that we desire,
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: My son, speak thou thus in every matter, Lord, If
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: it please thee, let this come to pass, Lord, if
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: this shall be for thine honor. Let it be done
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: in thy name. Lord. If thou see it good for
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: me and approve it as useful, then grant me to
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: use it for thy honor. But if thou knowest that
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: it shall be hurtful unto me and not profitable for
• 14:57
  Speaker 1: the health of my soul, take the desire away from me.
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: For not every desire is from the Holy Ghost. Although
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: it appear to a man right and good, it is
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: difficult to judge with certainty whether a good or an
• 15:15
  Speaker 1: evil spirit move THEE to desire this or that, or
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: whether thou art moved by thine own spirit. Many have
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: been deceived in the past who seemed at the beginning
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: to be moved by a good spirit. Therefore, whatsoever seemeth
• 15:35
  Speaker 1: to THEE desirable, thou must always desire and seek after
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: it with the fear of God and humility of heart.
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: And most of all, must altogether resign thyself and commit
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: all unto me, and say, Lord, thou knowest what is best.
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: Let this or that be according as thou wilt, give
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: what thou wilt, so much as thou wilt, when thou
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: wilt do with me, as thou knowest best, and as
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: best shall please THEE, and as shall be most to
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: Thine honor, Place me where thou wilt, and freely work
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: thy will with me in all things. I am in
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: thine hand, and turn me in my course. Behold, I
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: am thy servant, ready for all things. For I desire
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: to live not to myself but to THEE. O, that
• 16:37
  Speaker 1: I might live worthily and perfectly. A prayer to be
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: enabled to do God's will perfectly. Grant me thy grace,
• 16:51
  Speaker 1: most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me, and
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: work in me, and persevere with me even unto the end.
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: Grant that I may ever desire and wish whatsoever is
• 17:06
  Speaker 1: most pleasing and dear unto THEE. Let Thy will be mine,
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: and let my will always follow Thine and entirely accord
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: with it. May I choose and reject whatsoever Thou dost YEA,
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: Let it be impossible for me to choose or reject
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: except according to Thy will. Grant that I may die
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: to all worldly things, and for thy sake love to
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: be despised and unknown in this world. Grant unto me
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: above all things, that I can desire to rest in THEE,
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: and that in THEE my heart may be at peace.
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: Thou art the true peace of the heart alone, its rest.
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: Apart from THEE, all things are hard and unquiet. In
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: THEE alone, the supreme and eternal God, I will lay
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: me down in peace and take my rest. Amen Psalm four,
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: verse nine, chapter sixteen. That true solace is to be
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: sought in God alone. Whatsoever I am able to desire
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: or to think of, for my solace, I look for
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: it not here but hereafter. For if I alone had
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: all the solaces of this world, and were able to
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: enjoy all its delights, it is certain that they could
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: not endure long. Wherefore, o, my soul, thou canst be
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: fully comforted and per perfectly refreshed only in God, the
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: comforter of the poor and the lifter up of the humble.
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: Wait but a little while, my soul, wait for the
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: divine promise, and thou shalt have abundance of all good
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: things in heaven. If thou longest too inordinately for the
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: things which are now, thou shalt lose those which are
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: eternal and heavenly. Let temporal things be in the use
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: eternal things in the desire. Thou canst not be satisfied
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: with any temporal good, for thou wast not created for
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: the enjoyment of these. Although thou hadst all the good
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: things which ever were created, Yet couldst not thou be
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: happy and blessed. All Thy blessedness and thy felicity lieth
• 19:59
  Speaker 1: in God, who created all things. Not such felicity as
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: seemeth good to the foolish lover of the world, but
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: such as Christ's good and faithful servants wait for, and
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: as the spiritual and pure in heart sometimes taste, whose
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: conservation is in heaven Philippians three, verse twenty. All human
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: solace is empty and short lived. Blessed and true is
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: that solace which is felt inwardly, springing from the truth.
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: The godly man everywhere beareth about with him his own
• 20:43
  Speaker 1: comforter Jesus, and saith unto him. Be with me, Lord Jesus,
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: always and everywhere. Let it be my comfort to be
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: able to give up cheerfully all human comfort. And if
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: Thy consolation fail me, let Thy will and righteous approval
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: be always with me for the highest comfort. For thou
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: wilt not always be chiding, neither keepest thou thine anger forever.
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: Psalm one hundred and two, Verse nine, Chapter seventeen, that
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: all care is to be cast upon God, my son.
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: Suffer me to do with THEE what I will. I
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: know what is expedient for THEE. Thou thinkest as a
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: man in many things Thou judgest as human affection, persuadetht
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: THEE Lord. What thou sayest is true. Greater is thy
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: care for me than all the care which I am
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: able to take for myself. For two in and securely
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: doth he stand, who casteth not all his care upon
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: THEE Lord. So long as my will standeth right and
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: firm in THEE. Do with me what thou wilt. For
• 22:15
  Speaker 1: whatsoever thou shalt do with me cannot be aught but good.
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: Blessed be thou if thou wilt leave me in darkness.
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: Blessed also be thou, if thou wilt leave me in light.
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: Blessed be thou if thou vouchsafe to comfort me. And
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: always blessed be thou if thou cause me to be troubled.
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: My son. Even thus must thou stand. If thou desirest
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: to walk with me, Thou must be ready alike for
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: suffering or rejoicing. Thou must be poor and needy as
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: willingly as full and rich. Sure Lord, I will willingly
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: bear for THEE whatsoever thou wilt have to come upon
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: me without choice. I will receive from thy hand good
• 23:13
  Speaker 1: and evil, sweet and bitter, joy and sadness, and will
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: give THEE thanks for all things which shall happen unto me.
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: Keep me from all sin. And I will not fear
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: death nor hell. Only cast me not away forever, nor
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: blot me out of the book of life. Then no
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: tribulation which shall come upon me shall do me hurt.
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: Chapter eighteen. That temporal miseries are to be borne patiently,
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: after the example of Christ my son. I came down
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: from Heaven for thy salvation. I took upon me thy miseries,
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: not of necessity, but drawn by love, that thou mightest
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: learn patience and mightest bear temporal miseries without murmuring. For
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: from the hour of my birth until my death upon
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: the Cross, I ceased not from bearing of sorrow. I
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: had much lack of temporal things. I oftentimes heard many
• 24:31
  Speaker 1: reproaches against myself. I gently bore contradictions and hard words.
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: I received ingratitude for benefits, blasphemies for my miracles, rebukes
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: for my doctrine. Lord, because thou wast patient in thy
• 24:52
  Speaker 1: life herein most of all, fulfilling the commandment of thy father.
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: It is well that I, miserable sinner, should patiently bear
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: myself according to Thy will, and as long as thou
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: wilt have it, so should bear about with me for
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: my salvation the burden of this corruptible life. For although
• 25:17
  Speaker 1: the present life seemeth burdensome, it is nevertheless already made
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: very full of merit through thy grace, and to those
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: who are weak. It becometh easier and brighter through thy
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: example and the footsteps of thy saints. But it is
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: also much more full of consolation than it was of old,
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: under the Old Testament, when the gate of heaven remained shot,
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: and even the way to heaven seemed more obscure, when
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: so few cared to seek after the heavenly kingdom. But
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: not even those who were then just and in the
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: way of salvation, were able, before thy passion and the
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: ransom of thy holy death, to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: Oh what great thanks am I bound to give thee
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: who hast vouchsafed to show me and all faithful people
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: the good and right way to Thine eternal kingdom. For
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: thy way is our way, and by holy patience we
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: walk to THEE who art our crown. If thou hadst
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: not gone before and taught us who would care to follow? Oh,
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: how far would they have gone backward if they had
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: not beheld thy glorious example. Behold, we are still lukewarm,
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: though we have heard of thy many signs and discourses.
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: What would become of us if we had not such
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: a light to helpers follow thee Chapter nineteen of bearing injuries?
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: And who shall be approved as truly patient? What sayest thou,
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: my son, cease to complain? Consider my suffering and that
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: of my saints. Thou hast not yet resisted unto blood
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: Hebrews twelve, verse four. It is little which thou sufferest
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: in comparison with those who have suffered so many things,
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: have been so strongly tempted, so grievously troubled, so many
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: wise proved and tried. Thou oughtest therefore to call to
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: mind the more grievous sufferings of others, that thou mightst
• 27:56
  Speaker 1: bear thy lesser ones more easily. And if they seem
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: not to thee little see that it is not thy
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: impatience which is the cause of this. But whether they
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: be little or whether they be great, study to bear
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: them all with patience. So far as thou settest thyself
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: to bear patiently, so far thou dost wisely and art
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: deserving of the more merit, thou shalt also bear the
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: more easily, if thy mind and habit are carefully trained
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: hereunto and say not, I cannot bear these things from
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: such a man, Nor are things of this kind to
• 28:44
  Speaker 1: be borne by me, For he hath done me grievous
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: harm and imputeth to me what I had never thought.
• 28:52
  Speaker 1: But from another I will suffer patiently. Such things as
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: I see I ought to suffer. Is such a thought
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: as this, For it considereth not the virtue of patience,
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: nor by whom that virtue is to be crowned. But
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: it rather weigheth persons and offenses against self. He is
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: not truly patient, who will only suffer as far as
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: seemeth right to himself and from whom he pleaseth. But
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: the truly patient man considereth not by what man he
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: is tried, whether by one above him or by an
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: equal or inferior, whether by a good and holy man,
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: or a perverse and unworthy, but indifferently from every creature, whatsoever,
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: or how often soever adversity happeneth to him, he gratefully
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: accepteth all from the hand of God, and counteth it
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: great gain. For with God, nothing which is born for
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: his sake, however small, shall lose its reward. Be thou
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: therefore ready for the fight. If thou wilt have the
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: victory without striving, thou canst not win the crown of patience.
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: If thou wilt not suffer, thou refusest to be crowned.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: But if thou desirest to be crowned, strive manfully, endure
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: patiently without labor. Thou drawest not near to rest, nor
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: without fighting. Comest Thou to victory. Make possible to me,
• 30:47
  Speaker 1: O Lord, by grace, what seemeth impossible to me by nature.
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: Thou knowest how little I am able to bear, and
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: how quickly I am cast down when a like adversity
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: riseth up against me. Whatsoever trial of tribulation may come
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: to me, may it become unto me pleasing and acceptable.
• 31:13
  Speaker 1: For to suffer and be vexed for thy sake is
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: exceeding healthful to the soul. Chapter twenty, of confession of
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: our infirmity and of the miseries of this life, I
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: will acknowledge my sin unto THEE. Psalm thirty two, verse five.
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: I will confess to THEE Lord my infirmity. It is
• 31:47
  Speaker 1: often a small thing which casteth me down and maketh
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: me sad. I resolve that I will act bravely. But
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: when a little temptation cometh, immediately I am in a
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: great strait. Wonderfully small sometimes is the matter whence a
• 32:08
  Speaker 1: grievous temptation cometh. And whilst I imagine myself safe for
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: a little space, when I am not considering, I find
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: myself often almost overcome by a little puff of wind. Behold, Therefore,
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: O Lord, my humility and my frailty, which is altogether
• 32:31
  Speaker 1: known to THEE, Be merciful unto me, and draw me
• 32:37
  Speaker 1: out of the mire that I sink. Not Psalm fifty nine,
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: verse sixteen, lest I ever remain cast down. This is
• 32:49
  Speaker 1: what frequently throweth me backward, and confoundeth me before THEE.
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: That I am so liable to fall, so weak to
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: resist my passions. And though their assault is not altogether
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: according to my will. It is violent and grievous, and
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: it altogether wearieth me to live thus daily in conflict.
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: Herein is my infirmity made known to me, that hateful
• 33:18
  Speaker 1: fancies always rush in far more easily than they depart.
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: O that thou, most Mighty God of Israel, lover of
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: all faithful souls, wouldst look upon the labor and sorrow
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: of thy servant, and give him help in all things
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: whereunto he striveth strengthen me with heavenly fortitude. Lest the
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: old man, this miserable flesh, not being yet fully subdued
• 33:51
  Speaker 1: to the spirit, prevail to rule over me against which
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: I ought to strive, so long as I remain in
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: this most miserable life. Oh, what a life is this?
• 34:05
  Speaker 1: Where tribulations and miseries cease, Not, where all things are
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: full of snares and of enemies. For when one tribulation
• 34:15
  Speaker 1: or temptation goeth another cometh. Yea while the former conflict
• 34:22
  Speaker 1: is yet raging, others come more in number and unexpected.
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: And how can the life of man be loved? Seeing
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: that it hath so many bitter things, that it is
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: subjected to so many calamities and miseries how can it
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: even be called life when it produces so many deaths
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: and plagues. The world is often reproached because it is
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: deceitful and vain. Yet notwithstanding, it is not easily given up,
• 34:57
  Speaker 1: because the lusts of the flesh have too much rule
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: over it. Some draw us to love, some to hate.
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: and the pride of life. These draw to love of
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: the world. But the punishments and miseries which righteously follow
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: these things bring forth hatred of the world and weariness.
• 35:25
  Speaker 1: But alas an evil desire conquereth a mind given to
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: the world, and thinketh it happiness to be under the
• 35:33
  Speaker 1: nettles Job thirty, verse seven, because it savoreth not nor
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: perceiveth the sweetness of God, nor the inward gracefulness of virtue.
• 35:48
  Speaker 1: But they who perfectly despise the world and strive to
• 35:52
  Speaker 1: live unto God in holy discipline, these are not ignorant
• 35:56
  Speaker 1: of the divine sweetness promised to all all who truly
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: deny themselves. And see clearly how grievously the world earreth,
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: and in how many ways it is deceived. End of
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: Book three, Chapter twenty