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

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  Speaker 1: Book three, chapters fifty one to fifty nine, Chapter fifty one,
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  Speaker 1: that we must give ourselves to humble works when we
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  Speaker 1: are unequal to those that are lofty. My son, thou
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  Speaker 1: art not always able to continue in very fervent desire
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  Speaker 1: after virtues, nor to stand fast in the loftier region
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  Speaker 1: of contemplation. But thou must, of necessity sometimes descend to
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  Speaker 1: lower things because of thine original corruption, and bear about
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  Speaker 1: the burden of corruptible life, though unwillingly and with weariness.
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  Speaker 1: So long as thou wearest a mortal body, thou shalt
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  Speaker 1: feel weariness and heaviness of heart. Therefore thou oughtest to
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  Speaker 1: groan often in the flesh because of the burden of
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  Speaker 1: the flesh. Inasmuch as thou canst not give thyself to
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  Speaker 1: spiritual studies and divine contemplation unceasingly, at such a time,
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  Speaker 1: it is expedient for thee to flee to humble and
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  Speaker 1: external works, and to renew thyself with good actions, to
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  Speaker 1: wait for My coming and heavenly visitation with sure confidence,
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  Speaker 1: to bear thy exile and draft of mind with patience,
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  Speaker 1: until thou be visited by Me again, and be free
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  Speaker 1: from all anxieties, For I will cause THEE to forget
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  Speaker 1: thy labors and altogether to enjoy eternal peace. I will
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  Speaker 1: spread open before THEE the pleasant pastures of the scriptures,
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  Speaker 1: that with enlarged heart thou mayest begin to run in
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  Speaker 1: the way of my commandments. And thou shalt say the
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  Speaker 1: sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
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  Speaker 1: compared with the glory which shall be revealed. In US
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  Speaker 1: Romans eight verse eighteen, chapter fifty two, that a man
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  Speaker 1: ought not to reckon himself worthy of consolation, but more
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  Speaker 1: worthy of chastisement. O Lord, I am not worthy of
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  Speaker 1: thy consolation, nor of any spiritual visitation. And therefore thou
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  Speaker 1: dealest justly with me when thou leavest me poor and desolate.
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  Speaker 1: For if I were able to pour forth tears like
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  Speaker 1: the sea, still should I not be worthy of thy consolation.
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  Speaker 1: Therefore am I nothing worthy save to be scourged and punished.
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  Speaker 1: Because I have grievously and many a time offended THEE,
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  Speaker 1: and in many things have greatly sinned. Therefore, true account
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  Speaker 1: being taken, I am not worthy even of the least
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  Speaker 1: of thy consolations. But thou, gracious and merciful God, who
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  Speaker 1: willst not that thy works should perish to show forth
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  Speaker 1: the riches of thy mercy upon the vessels of mercy
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  Speaker 1: Romans nine, verse twenty three. Vouchsafest even beyond all his
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  Speaker 1: own deserving, to comfort thy servant above the measure of mankind,
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  Speaker 1: For thy consolations are not like unto the discoursings of men.
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  Speaker 1: What have I done, O, Lord, that thou shouldst bestow
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  Speaker 1: any heavenly comfort upon me? I remember not that I
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  Speaker 1: have done any good, but have been ever prone to
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  Speaker 1: sin and slow to amendment. It is true, and I
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  Speaker 1: cannot deny it. If I should say otherwise, Thou wouldst
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  Speaker 1: rise up against me, and there would be none to
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  Speaker 1: defend me. What have I deserved for my sins? But
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  Speaker 1: hell and everlasting fire? In very truth, I confess that
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  Speaker 1: I am worthy of all scorn and contempt. Nor is
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  Speaker 1: it fit that I should be remembered among thy faithful servants.
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  Speaker 1: And although I am unwilling to hear this, nevertheless I will,
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  Speaker 1: for the truth's sake accuse myself of my sins, that
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  Speaker 1: the more readily I may prevail to be accounted worthy
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  Speaker 1: of thy mercy. What shall I say guilty that I
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  Speaker 1: am and filled with confusion. I have no mouth to
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  Speaker 1: utter unless it is this word alone. I have sinned, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: I have sinned. Have mercy upon me, forgive me. Let
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  Speaker 1: me alone, that I may take comfort a little before
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  Speaker 1: I go, whence I shall not return even to the
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  Speaker 1: land of darkness and the shadow of death, Job ten,
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  Speaker 1: verses twenty and twenty one. What dost thou so much
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  Speaker 1: require of a guilty and miserable sinner as that he
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  Speaker 1: be contrite and humble himself for his sins? In true
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  Speaker 1: contrition and humiliation of heart is begotten, the hope of pardon,
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  Speaker 1: the troubled conscience is reconciled, Lost grace is recovered, a
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  Speaker 1: man is preserved from the wrath to come, and God
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  Speaker 1: and the penitent soul hastened to meet each other with
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  Speaker 1: a holy kiss. Luke fifteen, verse twenty. The humble contrition
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  Speaker 1: of sinners is an acceptable sacrifice unto thee O Lord,
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  Speaker 1: sending forth a smell sweeter far in thy sight than
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  Speaker 1: the incense. This also is that pleasant ointment which thou
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  Speaker 1: wouldst have poured upon thy sacred feet for a broken
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  Speaker 1: and contrite heart. Thou hast never despised. Psalm fifty one.
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  Speaker 1: Verse seventeen. There is the place of refuge from the
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  Speaker 1: wrathful countenance of the enemy. There is amended and washed
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  Speaker 1: away whatsoever evil hath elsewhere been contracted Chapter fifty three.
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  Speaker 1: That the grace of God doth not join itself to
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  Speaker 1: those who mind earthly things. My son, Precious, is my grace.
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  Speaker 1: It suffereth not itself to be joined with outward things,
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  Speaker 1: nor with earthly consolations. Therefore thou oughtest to cast away
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  Speaker 1: all things which hinder grace. If thou longest to receive
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  Speaker 1: the impouring thereof, seek a secret place for thyself, love
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  Speaker 1: to dwell alone with thyself, desire the conversation of no one,
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  Speaker 1: but rather pour out thy devout prayer to God, that
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  Speaker 1: thou mayst possess a contrite mind and a pure conscience.
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  Speaker 1: Count the whole world as naught. Seek to be alone
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  Speaker 1: with God before all outward things, For thou canst not
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  Speaker 1: be alone with Me and at the same time be
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  Speaker 1: delighted with transitory things. Thou oughtest to be separated from
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  Speaker 1: thy acquaintances and dear friends, and keep thy mind free
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  Speaker 1: from all worldly comfort. So the blessed Apostle Peter beseecheth
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  Speaker 1: that Christ's faithful ones bear themselves in this world as
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  Speaker 1: strangers and pilgrims. One Peter two, verse eleven. Oh, how
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  Speaker 1: great a confidence shall there be to the dying man,
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  Speaker 1: whom no affection to anything detaineth in the world. But
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  Speaker 1: to have a heart so separated from all things a
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  Speaker 1: sickly soul doth not yet come apprehend. Nor doth the
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  Speaker 1: carnal man know the liberty of the spiritual man. But
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  Speaker 1: if indeed he desire to be spiritually minded, he must
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  Speaker 1: renounce both those who are far off and those who
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  Speaker 1: are near, and to beware of no man more than himself.
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  Speaker 1: If thou perfectly conquer thyself very easily, shalt thou subdue
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  Speaker 1: all things. Besides perfect victory is the triumph over oneself.
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  Speaker 1: For whoso keepeth himself in subjection, in such manner that
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  Speaker 1: the sensual affections obey the reason, and the reason in
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  Speaker 1: all things obeyeth me, he truly is conqueror of himself
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  Speaker 1: and lord of the world. If thou desire to climb
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  Speaker 1: to this height, thou oughtest to start bravely, and to
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  Speaker 1: lay the axe to the root, to the end that
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  Speaker 1: thou mayest pull up and destroy the hidden inordinate inclination
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  Speaker 1: towards thyself and towards all selfish and earthly good. From
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  Speaker 1: this sin that a man loveth himself too inordinately, almost
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  Speaker 1: everything hangeth which needeth to be utterly overcome. When that
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  Speaker 1: evil is conquered and put under foot, there shall be
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  Speaker 1: great peace and tranquility continually. And because fews strive earnestly
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  Speaker 1: to die perfectly to themselves and do not heartily go
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  Speaker 1: forth from themselves. Therefore do they remain entangled in themselves
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  Speaker 1: and cannot be raised in spirit above themselves. But he
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  Speaker 1: who desireth to walk at liberty with me must of
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  Speaker 1: necessity mortify all his evil and inordinate affections, and must
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  Speaker 1: cling to no creature with selfish love. Chapter fifty four.
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  Speaker 1: Of the Diverse Motions of Nature and of Grace, My
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  Speaker 1: son pay diligent heed to the motions of nature and
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  Speaker 1: of Grace, because they move in a very contrary and
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  Speaker 1: subtle manner, and are hardly distinguished save by a spiritual
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  Speaker 1: and inwardly enlightened man. All men indeed seek good and
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  Speaker 1: make pretense of something good in all that they say
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  Speaker 1: or do, And thus under the appearance of good many
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  Speaker 1: are deceived. Nature is deceitful, and draweth away ensnareth, and
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  Speaker 1: deceiveth many, and always hath self for her end. But
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  Speaker 1: Grace walketh in simplicity and turneth away from every appearance
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  Speaker 1: of evil, maketh no false pretenses, and doeth all entirely
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  Speaker 1: for the sake of God, in whom also she finally resteth.
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  Speaker 1: Nature is very unwilling to die, and to be pressed down,
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  Speaker 1: and to be overcome, and to be in subjection, and
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  Speaker 1: to bear the yoke readily. But Grace studieth self, mortification,
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  Speaker 1: resisteth sensuality, seeketh to be subdued, longeth to be conquered,
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  Speaker 1: and willeth not to use her own liberty. She loveth
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  Speaker 1: to be held by discipline, and not to have authority
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  Speaker 1: over any but always to live, to remain, to have
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  Speaker 1: her being under God, and for God's sake, is ready
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  Speaker 1: to be humbly subject to every ordinance of man. Nature
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  Speaker 1: laboreth for her own advantage, and considereth what profit she
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  Speaker 1: may gain from another. But Grace considereth more, not what
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  Speaker 1: may be use full and convenient to self, but what
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  Speaker 1: may be profitable to the many. Nature willingly receiveth honor
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  Speaker 1: and reverence, but Grace faithfully ascribeth all honor and glory
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  Speaker 1: to God. Nature feareth confusion and contempt, but Grace rejoiceth
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  Speaker 1: to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. Nature loveth
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  Speaker 1: ease and bodily quiet. Grace cannot be unemployed, but gladly
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  Speaker 1: embraceth labour. Nature seeketh to possess things curious and attractive,
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  Speaker 1: and abhorreth those which are rough and cheap. Grace is
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  Speaker 1: delighted with things simple and humble, despiseth not those which
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  Speaker 1: are rough, nor refuseth to be clothed with old garments.
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  Speaker 1: Nature hath regard to things temporal, reach joyeth in earthly
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  Speaker 1: Lucre is made sad by loss, vexed by any little
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  Speaker 1: injurious word. But Grace reacheth after things eternal, cleaveth not
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  Speaker 1: to those which are temporal. Is not perturbed by losses,
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  Speaker 1: nor embittered by any hard words. But she hath placed
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  Speaker 1: her treasure and joy in heaven, where naught perisheth. Nature
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  Speaker 1: is covetous and receiveth more willingly than she giveth. Loveth
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  Speaker 1: things that are personal and private to herself, while Grace
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  Speaker 1: is kind and generous, avoideth selfishness is contented with a
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  Speaker 1: little believeth that it is more blessed to give than
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  Speaker 1: to receive. Nature inclineth thee to created things, to thine
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  Speaker 1: own flesh, to vanities and dissipation. But Grace draweth to
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  Speaker 1: God and to virtues. Renounceth creatures, fleeth from the world,
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  Speaker 1: hateth the desires of the flesh, restraineth vagaries, blusheth to
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  Speaker 1: be seen in public. Nature is glad to receive some
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  Speaker 1: outward solace in which the senses may have delight. But
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  Speaker 1: Grace seeketh to be comforted in God alone, and to
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  Speaker 1: have delight in the chief Good above all visible things.
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  Speaker 1: Nature doeth everything for her own gain and profit, can
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  Speaker 1: do nothing as a free favor, but hopeth to attain
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  Speaker 1: something as good or better, or some praise or favor
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  Speaker 1: for her benefits. And she loveth that her own deeds
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  Speaker 1: and gifts should be highly valued. But Grace seeketh nothing temporal,
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  Speaker 1: nor requireth any other gift of reward than God alone.
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  Speaker 1: Neither longeth she for more of temporal necessities than such
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  Speaker 1: as may suffice for the attaining of eternal life. Nature
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  Speaker 1: rejoiceth in many friends and kinsfolk. She boasteth of noble
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  Speaker 1: place and noble birth. She smileth on the powerful, flattereth
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  Speaker 1: the rich, applaudeth those who are like herself. But grace
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  Speaker 1: loveth even her enemies, and is not lifted up by
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  Speaker 1: the multitude of friends. Setteth no store upon high place
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  Speaker 1: or high birth, unless there be greater virtue. Therewith favoreth
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  Speaker 1: the poor man more than the rich, hath more sympathy
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  Speaker 1: with the innocent than with the powerful, rejoiceth with the truthful,
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  Speaker 1: not with the liar. Always exhorteth the good to strive
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  Speaker 1: after better gifts of grace, and to become by holiness
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  Speaker 1: like unto the Son of God. Nature quickly complaineth of
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  Speaker 1: poverty and of trouble. Grace beareth want with constancy. Nature
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  Speaker 1: looketh upon all things in reference to herself. Striveth and
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  Speaker 1: argueth foreself, but grace bringeth back all things to God
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  Speaker 1: from whom they came at the beginning. Ascribeth no good
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  Speaker 1: to herself, nor arrogantly presumeth, is not contentious, nor preferreth
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  Speaker 1: her own opinion to others, But in every sense and
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  Speaker 1: understanding submitteth herself to the eternal wisdom and the divine judgment.
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  Speaker 1: Nature is eager to know secrets and to hear new things.
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  Speaker 1: She loveth to appear abroad and to make experience of
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  Speaker 1: many things through the senses. She desireth to be acknowledged
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  Speaker 1: and to do those things which win praise and admiration.
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  Speaker 1: But Grace careth not to gather up new or curious things,
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  Speaker 1: because all this springeth from the old corruption, whereas there
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  Speaker 1: is nothing new or lasting upon earth. So she teacheth
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  Speaker 1: to restrain the senses, to shune vain, complacency and ostentation,
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  Speaker 1: to hide humbly those things which merit praise and real admiration,
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  Speaker 1: and from everything and in all knowledge, to seek after
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  Speaker 1: useful fruit and the praise and honor of God. She
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  Speaker 1: desireth not to receive praise for herself or her own,
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  Speaker 1: but longeth that God be blessed in all his gifts, who,
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  Speaker 1: out of unmingled love, bestoweth all things. This grace is
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  Speaker 1: a supernatural light and a certain special gift of God,
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  Speaker 1: and the proper mark of the elect and the pledge
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  Speaker 1: of eternal salvation. It exalteth a man from earthly things
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  Speaker 1: to love those that are heavenly, and it maketh the
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  Speaker 1: carnal man spiritual. So far therefore, as nature is utterly
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  Speaker 1: pressed down and overcome, so far is greater grace bestowed,
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  Speaker 1: and the inner man is daily created anew by fresh
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  Speaker 1: visitations after the image of God, Chapter fifty five of
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  Speaker 1: the Corruption of Nature and the efficacy of Divine Grace. O, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: my God, thou hast created me after thine own image
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  Speaker 1: and similitude. Grant me this grace which thou hast shown
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  Speaker 1: to be so great and so necessary for salvation, that
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  Speaker 1: I may conquer my wicked nature, which draweth me to
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  Speaker 1: sin and to perdition. For I feel in my flesh
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  Speaker 1: the law of sin, contradicting the law of my mind,
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  Speaker 1: and bringing me into captivity to the obedience of sensuality
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  Speaker 1: in many things. Nor can I resist its passions unless
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  Speaker 1: thy most holy grace assist me fervently poured into my heart.
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  Speaker 1: There is need of thy grace, yea, and of a
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  Speaker 1: great measure thereof that my nature may be conquered, which
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  Speaker 1: hath always been prone to evil from my youth, for
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  Speaker 1: being fallen through the first man Adam and corrupted through sin.
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  Speaker 1: The punishment of this stain descended upon all men, so
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  Speaker 1: that nature itself, which was framed good and right by THEE,
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  Speaker 1: is now used to express the vice and infirmity of
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  Speaker 1: corrupted nature, because its motion left unto itself, draw men
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  Speaker 1: away to evil and to lower things. For the little
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  Speaker 1: power which remaineth is as it were, one spark lying
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  Speaker 1: hid in the ashes. This is natural reason, itself encompassed
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  Speaker 1: with thick clouds, having yet a discernment of good and evil,
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  Speaker 1: a distinction of the true and the false. Though it
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  Speaker 1: be powerless to fulfill all that it approveth, and possess
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  Speaker 1: not yet the full light of truth nor healthfulness of
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  Speaker 1: its affections. Hence it is o, my God, that I
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  Speaker 1: delight in thy law after the inward man Romans seven,
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  Speaker 1: verses twelve, twenty two, and twenty five, knowing that Thy
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  Speaker 1: commandment is holy and just and good, reproving also all
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  Speaker 1: evil and the sin that is to be avoided. Yet
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  Speaker 1: with the flesh I serve the law of sin, whilst
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  Speaker 1: I obey sen usuality rather than reason. Hence it is
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  Speaker 1: that to will to do good is present with me,
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  Speaker 1: but how to perform it I find not Romans seven,
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  Speaker 1: verse eighteen. Hence, I sometimes purpose many good things, but
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  Speaker 1: because grace is lacking to help mine infirmities, I fall
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  Speaker 1: back before a little resistance and fail. Hence it cometh
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  Speaker 1: to pass that I recognize the way of perfectness and
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  Speaker 1: see very clearly what things I ought to do. But
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  Speaker 1: pressed down by the weight of my own corruption, I
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  Speaker 1: rise not to the things which are more perfect. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: how entirely necessary is thy grace to me, O Lord,
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  Speaker 1: for a good beginning, for progress, and for bringing to perfection.
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  Speaker 1: For without it I can do nothing, and I can
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  Speaker 1: do all things through Thy grace, which strengtheneth me me
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  Speaker 1: Philippians four, verse thirteen. O truly heavenly grace, without which
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  Speaker 1: our own merits are naught, And no gifts of nature
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  Speaker 1: at all are to be esteemed. Arts, riches, beauty, strength, wit, eloquence.
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  Speaker 1: They all avail nothing before thee, O Lord, without thy grace.
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  Speaker 1: For the gifts of nature belong to good and evil alike.
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  Speaker 1: But the proper gift of the elect is grace, that
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  Speaker 1: is love, And they who bear the mark thereof are
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  Speaker 1: held worthy of everlasting life. So mighty is this grace
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  Speaker 1: that without it neither the gift of prophecy, nor the
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  Speaker 1: working of miracles nor any speculation. However, lofty is of
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  Speaker 1: any value at all. But neither faith, nor hope, nor
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  Speaker 1: any other virtue is accepted with THEE without love and grace, O,
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  Speaker 1: most blessed grace that makest the poor in spirit rich
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  Speaker 1: in virtues, and rendeest him who is rich in many
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  Speaker 1: things humble in spirit. Come thou descend upon me. Fill
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  Speaker 1: me early with thy consolation, lest my soul fail through
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  Speaker 1: weariness and drought of mind. I beseech THEE, O Lord,
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  Speaker 1: that I may find grace in thy sight, For thy
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  Speaker 1: grace is sufficient for me two Corinthians twelve, verse nine,
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  Speaker 1: when I obtain not those things which nature longeth. For.
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  Speaker 1: If I be tempted and vexed with many tribulations, I
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  Speaker 1: will fear no evil, while Thy grace remaineth with me.
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  Speaker 1: This alone is my strength. This bringeth me counsel and help.
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  Speaker 1: It is more powerful than all enemies, and wiser than
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  Speaker 1: all the wise men in the world. It is the
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  Speaker 1: mistress of truth, the teacher of discipline, the light of
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  Speaker 1: the heart, the solace of anxiety, the banisher of sorrow,
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  Speaker 1: the deliverer from fear, the nurse of devotion, the drawer
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  Speaker 1: forth of tears. What am I without it? Save a
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  Speaker 1: dry tree, a useless branch worthy to be cast away.
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  Speaker 1: Let thy grace therefore, O Lord, always prevent and follow me,
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  Speaker 1: and make me continually given to all good works through
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  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, thy son, Amen, Chapter fifty six. That we
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  Speaker 1: ought to deny ourselves and to imitate Christ by means
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  Speaker 1: of the Cross, my son, So far as thou art
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  Speaker 1: able to go out of thyself, so far shalt thou
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  Speaker 1: be able to enter into me. As to desire no
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  Speaker 1: outward thing worketh eternal peace. So the forsaking of self
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  Speaker 1: inwardly joineth unto God. I will that thou learn perfect
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  Speaker 1: self denial, living in my will, without contradiction or complaint.
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  Speaker 1: Follow me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
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  Speaker 1: John fourteen, verse six. Without the way, thou canst not
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  Speaker 1: go Without the truth, thou canst not know. Without the life,
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  Speaker 1: thou canst not live. I am the way which thou
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  Speaker 1: ughtest to follow, the truth which thou ughtest to believe,
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  Speaker 1: the life which thou aughtiest to hope for. I am
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  Speaker 1: the way unchangeable, the truth, infallible, the life everlasting. I
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  Speaker 1: am the way altogether straight, the Truth supreme, the true life,
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  Speaker 1: the blessed life, the uncreated life. If thou remain in
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: my way, thou shalt know the truth, and the truth
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: shall make thee free John eight, verse thirty two. And
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: thou shalt lay hold on eternal life. If thou wilt
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: enter into life, keep the commandments Matthew nineteen, verses seventeen
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: and twenty one. If thou wilt know the truth, believe
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: in me. If thou wilt be perfect, sell all that
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: thou hast, if thou wilt be my disciple, Deny thyself,
• 26:53
  Speaker 1: if thou wouldst possess the blessed life, despise the life
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: which now is. If thou wilt be exalted in heaven,
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: humble thyself in the world. If thou wilt reign with me,
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: bear the cross with me. For only the servants of
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: the Cross find the way of blessedness and of true light.
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: O Lord Jesu, forasmuch as thy life was straitened and
• 27:23
  Speaker 1: despised by the world, grant unto me to imitate THEE.
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: In despising the world. For the servant is not greater
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: than his Lord, nor the disciple above his master. Matthew
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: ten verse twenty four. Let thy servant be exercised in
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: thy life, because there is my salvation and true holiness.
• 27:47
  Speaker 1: Whatsoever I read or hear besides it refresheth me not,
• 27:52
  Speaker 1: nor giveth me delight, my son, Because thou knowest these things,
• 27:58
  Speaker 1: and hast read them all blessed, shalt thou be if
• 28:02
  Speaker 1: thou doest them. He who hath my commandments and keepeth them,
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: he it is that loveth me. And I will love him,
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: and will manifest myself to him. John fourteen, verse twenty one.
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: And I will make him to sit down with me
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: in my father's kingdom, O, Lord Jesus, as thou hast
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: said and promised. Even so, let it be unto me
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: and grant me to prove worthy. I have received the
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: cross at thy hand. I have carried it and will
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: carry it even unto death, as thou hast laid it
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: upon me. Truly, the life of a truly devoted servant
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: is a cross, and it leadeth to paradise. I have begun.
• 28:49
  Speaker 1: I may not return back nor leave it. Come, my brothers,
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: let us together go forward. Jesus shall be with us.
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: For jesus sake, have we taken up this cross for
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: jesus sake. Let us persevere in the cross. He will
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: be our helper, who was our captain and forerunner. Behold
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: our king entereth in before us, and he will fight
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: for us. Let us follow bravely. Let no man fear terrors.
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: Let us be prepared to die bravely in battle. And
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: let us not so stain our honor as to fly
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: from the cross. One Maccabees nine, verse ten, chapter fifty seven.
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: That a man must not be too much cast down
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: when he falleth into some faults. My son, patience and
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: humility in adversities are more pleasing to me than much
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: comfort and devotion in prosperity. Why doth a little thing
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: spoken against THEE make THEE sad? If it had been more,
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: Thou still aughtest not to be moved, but now suffere
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: it to go by. It is not the first, it
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: is not new, and it will not be the last.
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: If thou live long, thou art brave enough, so long
• 30:17
  Speaker 1: as no adversity meeteth THEE. Thou givest good counsel also,
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: and knowest how to strengthen others with thy words. But
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: when tribulation suddenly knocketh at thine own door, thy counsel,
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: and strength fail. Consider thy great frailty, which thou dost
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: so often experience in trifling matters none the less for
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: thy soul's health. These things are done when they and
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: such like happen unto thee. Put them away from thy
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: heart as well as thou canst. And if tribulation hath
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: touch'd thee, yet let it not cast thee down, nor
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: enter angle thee long at the least, bear patiently. If
• 31:04
  Speaker 1: thou canst not joyfully, and although thou be very unwilling
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: to hear it and feel indignation, yet check thyself and
• 31:14
  Speaker 1: suffer no unadvised word to come from thy lips, whereby
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: the little ones may be offended. Soon the storm which
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: hath been raised shall be stilled, and inward grief shall
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: be sweetened by returning grace. I yet live saith the Lord,
• 31:34
  Speaker 1: ready to help thee, and to give thee more than
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: wanted consolation. If thou put thy trust in me and
• 31:42
  Speaker 1: call devoutly upon me, be thou more calm of spirit,
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: and gird thyself for greater endurance. All is not frustrated.
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: Though thou find thyself very often afflicted or grievously tempted.
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: Art man not God? Thou art flesh, not an angel.
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: How shouldst thou be able to remain always in the
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: same state of virtue when an angel in heaven fell,
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: and the first man in paradise. I am he who
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: lifteth up the mourners to deliverance, and those who know
• 32:22
  Speaker 1: their own infirmity. I raise up to my own nature. O, Lord, blessed,
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: be thy word sweeter to my mouth than honey and
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: the honeycomb. What should I do in my so great
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: tribulations and anxieties unless thou didst comfort me with thy
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: holy words? If only I may attain unto the heaven
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: of salvation, what matter is it? What things or how
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: many I suffer? Give me a good end, Give me
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: a happy passage out of this world. Remember me, o,
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: my God, and lead me by the right way unto
• 33:03
  Speaker 1: Thy Kingdom. Amen. Chapter fifty eight of deeper matters and
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: God's hidden judgments, which are not to be inquired into,
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: My son, Beware thou dispute not of high matters and
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: of the hidden judgments of God. Why this man is
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: thus left, and that man is taken into so great favor?
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: Why also this man is so greatly afflicted, and that
• 33:38
  Speaker 1: so highly exalted, these things pass all man's power of judging.
• 33:45
  Speaker 1: Neither may any reasoning or disputation have power to search
• 33:49
  Speaker 1: out the divine judgments. When therefore the enemy suggesteth these
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: things to thee, or when any curious people ask such
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: ques questions, answer with that word of the prophet, just
• 34:04
  Speaker 1: art thou, o Lord, and true is thy judgment Psalm
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: one hundred and nineteen, verse one hundred and thirty seven.
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: And with this the judgments of the Lord are true
• 34:18
  Speaker 1: and righteous altogether Psalm nineteen, verse nine. My judgments are
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: to be feared, not to be disputed on, because they
• 34:30
  Speaker 1: are incomprehensible to human understanding, and be not given to
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: inquire or dispute about the merits of the saints, which
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: is holier than another, or which is the greater in
• 34:44
  Speaker 1: the kingdom of heaven. Such questions often beget useless strifes
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: and contentions. They also nourish pride and vain glory, whence
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: envyings and dissensions arise. While one man arrogantly endeavoreth to
• 35:01
  Speaker 1: exalt one saint and another another, but to wish to
• 35:06
  Speaker 1: know and search out such things bringeth no fruit, but
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: it rather displeaseth the saints. For I am not the
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: god of confusion, but of peace Corinthians fourteen, verse thirty three.
• 35:22
  Speaker 1: Which peace consisteth more in true humility than in self exaltation.
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: Some are drawn by zeal of love to greater affection
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: to these saints or those, But this is human affection
• 35:40
  Speaker 1: rather than divine. I am he who made all the saints.
• 35:45
  Speaker 1: I gave them grace. I brought them glory. I know
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: the merits of every one. I prevented them with the
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: blessings of my goodness Psalm twenty one, verse three. I
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: foreknew my beloved ones from everlasting. I chose them out
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: of the world John fifteen, verse nineteen. They did not
• 36:11
  Speaker 1: choose me. I called them by my grace, drew them
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: by my mercy, led them on through saundry temptations. I
• 36:22
  Speaker 1: poured mighty consolations upon them. I gave them perseverance. I
• 36:28
  Speaker 1: crowned their patience. I acknowledge the first and the last.
• 36:35
  Speaker 1: I embrace all with inestimable love. I am to be
• 36:40
  Speaker 1: praised in all my saints. I am to be blessed
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: above all things, and to be honored in every one
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: whom I have so gloriously exalted and predestined, without any
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: preceding merits of their own. He therefore that shall despise
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: one of the least of these my people, honoreth not
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: the great, because I made both small and great wisdom
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: six verse eight. And he who speaketh against any of
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: my saints speaketh against Me and against all others. In
• 37:18
  Speaker 1: the Kingdom of Heaven, they are all one through the
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: bond of charity. They think the same thing, will the
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: same thing, and all are united in love one to another.
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: But yet which is far better? They love Me above
• 37:37
  Speaker 1: themselves and their own merits. For being caught up above
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: themselves and drawn beyond self love, they go all straightforward
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: to the love of Me, and they rest in Me
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: in perfect enjoyment. There is nothing which can turn them
• 37:55
  Speaker 1: away or press them down, for being full of eternal truth,
• 38:01
  Speaker 1: they burn with the fire of inextinguishable charity. Therefore, let
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: all carnal and natural men hold their peace concerning the
• 38:11
  Speaker 1: state of the saints, for they know nothing save to love.
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: Their own personal enjoyment they take away and add according
• 38:21
  Speaker 1: to their own inclination, not as it pleaseth the eternal truth.
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: In many men, this is ignorance. Chiefly is it so
• 38:32
  Speaker 1: in those who, being little enlightened, rarely learn to love
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: anyone with perfect spiritual love. They are still much drawn
• 38:42
  Speaker 1: by natural affection and human friendship to these or to those.
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: And as they reckon of themselves in lower matters, so
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: also do they frame imaginations of things heavenly. But there
• 38:56
  Speaker 1: is an immeasurable difference between those things which they imperfectly
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: imagine and these things which enlightened men behold through supernatural revelation.
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: Take heed. Therefore, my son, that thou treat not curiously
• 39:15
  Speaker 1: those things which surpass thy knowledge, but rather make this
• 39:20
  Speaker 1: thy business and give attention to it. Namely, that thou
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: seek to be found, even though it be the least
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: in the kingdom of God. And even if any one
• 39:32
  Speaker 1: should know who were holier than others, or who were
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: held greatest in the kingdom of heaven, what should that
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: knowledge profit him, unless through this knowledge he should humble
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: himself before me and should rise up to give greater
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: praise unto My name. He who considereth, how great are
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: his own sins, how small his virtues, and how far
• 39:58
  Speaker 1: he is removed from the perfection of the saints doeth
• 40:02
  Speaker 1: far more acceptably in the sight of God than he
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: who disputeth about their greatness or littleness. They are all
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: together well content, if men would learn to be content,
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: and to refrain from vain babbling. They glory not of
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: their own merits, seeing they ascribe no good unto themselves,
• 40:26
  Speaker 1: but all unto me, Seeing that I, of my infinite
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: charity have given them all things. They are filled with
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: so great love of the Divinity, and with such overflowing joy,
• 40:40
  Speaker 1: that no glory is lacking to them. Neither can any
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: felicity be lacking all the saints. The higher they are
• 40:49
  Speaker 1: exalted in glory, the humbler are they in themselves, And
• 40:54
  Speaker 1: the nearer and dearer are they unto me. And so
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: thou hast it written that they cast their crowns before God,
• 41:03
  Speaker 1: and fell on their faces before the lamb, and worshiped
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: Him that liveth for ever and ever Revelation four, verse
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: ten and five, verse fourteen. Many ask who is greater
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: in the Kingdom of heaven, who know not whether they
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: shall be worthy to be counted among the least. It
• 41:27
  Speaker 1: is a great thing to be even the least in heaven,
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: where all are great, because all shall be called and
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: shall be the sons of God. A little one shall
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: become a thousand, but the sinner, being an hundred years old,
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: shall be accursed. For when the disciples asked who should
• 41:48
  Speaker 1: be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, they received
• 41:52
  Speaker 1: no answer than this, Except ye be converted and become
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: as little children, Ye shall not end enter into the
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: Kingdom of Heaven. But whosoever shall humble himself as this
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: little child, the same shall be greatest in the Kingdom
• 42:09
  Speaker 1: of Heaven. Matthew eighteen, verse three. Woe unto them who
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: disdain to humble themselves willingly with the little children, for
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: the low gate of the Kingdom of Heaven will not
• 42:24
  Speaker 1: suffer them to enter in. Woe also to them who
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: are rich, who have their consolation here Philippians two, verse
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: twenty one, because whilst the poor enter into the Kingdom
• 42:38
  Speaker 1: of Heaven, they shall stand lamenting without rejoice. Ye humble
• 42:44
  Speaker 1: and exalt ye poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.
• 42:49
  Speaker 1: If only ye walk in the truth Chapter fifty nine,
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: that all hope and trust is to be fixed in
• 42:59
  Speaker 1: God alone. O Lord, what is my trust which I
• 43:06
  Speaker 1: have in this life? Or what is my greatest comfort
• 43:09
  Speaker 1: of all the things which are seen under heaven? Is
• 43:13
  Speaker 1: it not thou, o Lord, my God, whose mercies are
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: without number? Where hath it been well with me without THEE?
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: Or when could it be evil? Whilst thou wert near?
• 43:26
  Speaker 1: I had rather be poor for thy sake than rich
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: without THEE. I choose rather to be a pilgrim upon
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: the earth with THEE than without THEE, to possess heaven.
• 43:39
  Speaker 1: Where thou art there is heaven, and where thou art
• 43:43
  Speaker 1: not behold their death and hell. Thou art all my desire.
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: And therefore must I groan and cry and earnestly pray
• 43:54
  Speaker 1: after THEE. In short, I can confide fully in none
• 43:59
  Speaker 1: to give me ready help in necessities, save in THEE alone, O,
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: my God, Thou art my hope, Thou art my trust,
• 44:08
  Speaker 1: Thou art my comforter, and most faithful in all things,
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: all men seek their own. Luke Verse six, Thou settest
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: forward only my salvation and my profit, and turnest all
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: things unto my good, Even though thou dost expose me
• 44:31
  Speaker 1: to diverse temptations and adversities. Thou ordainest all this unto
• 44:37
  Speaker 1: my advantage. For thou art wont to prove thy beloved
• 44:41
  Speaker 1: ones in a thousand ways in which proving thou oughtest
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: no less to be loved and praised than if thou
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: wert filling me full of heavenly consolations in THEE. Therefore, O,
• 44:55
  Speaker 1: Lord God, I put all my hope and my refuge
• 44:59
  Speaker 1: on THEE. I lay all my tribulation and anguish, because
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: I find all to be weak and unstable. Whatsoever I
• 45:08
  Speaker 1: behold out of THEE. For many friends shall not profit,
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: nor strong helpers be able to succor, nor prudent counselors
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: to give a useful answer, nor the books of the
• 45:22
  Speaker 1: learned to console, nor any precious substance to deliver, nor
• 45:28
  Speaker 1: any secret and beautiful place to give shelter. If thou
• 45:32
  Speaker 1: thyself do not assist, help, strengthen, comfort, instruct keep in safety.
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: For all things which seem to belong to the attainment
• 45:45
  Speaker 1: of peace and felicity are nothing when thou art absent,
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: and bring no felicity at all. In reality. Therefore art
• 45:55
  Speaker 1: thou the end of all good and the fullness of life,
• 45:59
  Speaker 1: and the soul of eloquence, And to hope in THEE
• 46:03
  Speaker 1: above all things is the strongest solace of thy servants.
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: Mine eyes look unto thee Psalm one hundred and forty one,
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: verse eight. In THEE is my trust, O, my god
• 46:17
  Speaker 1: Father of mercies, bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly blessing,
• 46:24
  Speaker 1: that it may become thy holy habitation and the seat
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: of thy eternal glory. And let nothing be found in
• 46:32
  Speaker 1: the temple of thy divinity which may offend the eyes
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: of thy majesty. According to the greatness of thy goodness
• 46:40
  Speaker 1: and the multitude of thy mercies, look upon me and
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: hear the prayer of thy poor servant, far exiled from
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: thee in the land of the shadow of death. Protect
• 46:53
  Speaker 1: and preserve the soul of thy least servant, amid so
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: many dangers of corruptible life. And by thy grace accompanying me,
• 47:04
  Speaker 1: directed by the way of peace into its home of
• 47:08
  Speaker 1: perpetual light. Amen. End of Book three.