Nature rejoiceth of many friends and allies and joyeth of noble places and of great birth, laugheth upon might and power, blandisheth rich folk, and hath plesance in such as are like to himself; but grace loveth her enemies; she is not proud of multitude of friends nor accounteth place nor birth unless there be the more virtue there; she favoureth more the poor than the rich; she hath more The Imitation of Christ *6g companion in the innocent than in the mighty, she joyeth with the true man, not with the false man, and ever exhorteth to good, to seek more grace and to be like the Son of God in virtues. Nature complaineth soon of faults and of grievance but grace stedfastly beareth poverty and need. Nature reflecteth all things to himself and for himself he striveth and argueth: but grace reduceth all things to God of whom they well out groundly and originally; she ascribeth nothing that is good to herself nor presumeth nothing proudly, nor striveth not, nor preferreth not her sentence (opinion) before others, but in every feeling and in every understanding submitteth herself to the everlasting wisdom and to God's examination.
Nature coveteth to know secrets and to hear new things; he will appear outwardly and by feeling have experience of many things; he desire th to be known and to do such things of which praise and wonder may arise. But grace taketh no heed to perceive new things and curious, for all this groweth of corruption, since there is nothing new and durable upon the earth. Grace also teacheth to restrain the wits, to eschew vain plesance and ostentation, meekly to hide such things as are commendable and wonderful and in every thing and every science to seek out the fruit of profit and God's praise and his honour. Grace desireth neither herself nor her works to be preached openly, but desireth God to be blest in his gifts that granteth all things of his pure largesse.
This grace is a light supernatural and a special gift of God and a proper sign of the chosen children of God and the earnest of everlasting health; for God lifteth up man from earthly things to love heavenly things and of him that is fleshly he maketh (a) spiritual (man). Wherefore the more that nature is holden under and overcome, the more grace is poured in and the inward man is every day renewed according to the image of God with new visitations.
2 TO Thomas & Kempis CHAPTER LX OP CORRUPTION OF NATURE AND OF THE MIGHT OF GRACE MY LORD God that hast made me to thine image and likeness, grant me this grace that thou hast shown to be so great and so needful to man's health that I may overcome my most wicked nature that draweth me to sins and to perdition. For I feel in my flesh the law of sin contrarying the law of my mind and leading me as a caitiff to obey sensuality in many things; nor may I withstand his passion unless thy most holy grace passed into mine hearth be assistant to me. Needful it is to have thy grace yea and thy great grace that nature may be overcome that is ever ready to evil, of young age and youth. For nature (having) slidden and (being) vitiated by the first man Adam through sin, the pain of that spot hath come down to all men so that nature that was well and evenly made by thee is now set for (fixed in) vice and infirmity of corrupt nature, inasmuch as its movement left and abandoned to himself draweth ever to evil and to low things and that little good strength that is left is as but a little sparkle hid in ashen. This is natural reason surrounded on every side with darkness having yet judgment of good and evil and distance of (distinction between) true and false, though it be unable to fulfil that it approveth nor useth it now full light of truth or holiness of affections.
Therefore it is, my God, that after the inward man I delight me in thy law knowing thy commandment to be good and just and holy, proving also all sins and all evil to be fled, but in my flesh I serve the law of sin while I obey sensuality more than reason. Here through it is that to will good cometh to me, but to do it in deed I find not in me. Wherefore ofttimes I purpose many good things but for that thy grace lacketh (faileth) that should help The Imitation of Christ 271 mine infirmity, through a light resistance I turn back and fail. Herethrough it happeneth that though I know the way of perfection and that I see clearly what I ought to do yet I am so pressed with the weight of mine own corruption that I may not arise to more perfection.
O Lord how most necessary is grace to begin good, to profit in good and to be perfected in good. For without it I may do nothing but in thee I am mighty in all things, grace strengthening me. O that true heavenly grace, without which properly there are no merits nor no gifts of nature to be peised. Lord, without grace, as compared with thee they be of no value, neither crafts nor riches nor beauty nor strength nor wit nor eloquence. For gifts of nature are common to the good and to the evil but the proper gift of the chosen children is grace or charity wherewith he that is nobled shall be worthy everlasting life. This grace is so eminent and so excellent that neither the gift of prophecy nor working of miracles nor speculation, be it never so high, is of any estimation without her; yea, neither faith nor hope nor other virtues are acceptable to thee without grace and charity.
O thou most blissful grace, that makest the poor in spirit rich in virtue and the meek in heart rich in many goods. Come, descend unto me, fulfil me betimes with thy consolation lest my soul fail for weariness and dryness of mind. Lord I beseech thee that I may find grace in thine eyes; for thy grace sufficeth me, other things that nature desireth not being counted. If I be tempted and vexed with many tribulations I shall not dread while thy grace is with me. She is my strength, she giveth me counsel and help. She is more mighty than all enemies, she is wiser than all the wise. She is mistress of truth, teacher of discipline, light of the heart, the solace of pressure (trouble), thrower down and driver away of sorrow, taker away of dread, nourisher of devotion and bringer forth of tears. What am I without her, but a dry tree and an unprofitable stock? Wherefore, Lord, let thy grace ever more go afore 272 Thomas & Kempis me and follow me and make me to be continually and busily given to good works by our Lord Jesu Christ, thy Son.
CHAPTER LXI THAT WE OUGHT TO DENY OURSELVES AND FOLLOW CHRIST BY THE CROSS SON, as much as thou canst go out from thyself. As for a man to covet nothing outward maketh inward peace so for a man inwardly to forsake himself joineth and uniteth him to God. I will that thou learn perfect abnegation ef thyself to my will without contradiction and complaining. Follow me: I am the way, truth and life. Without a way men go not, without truth men know not, without life men live not.
I am the way that thou shalt follow, I am the truth that thou shalt believe, and the life that thou shalt hope (for). I am the way undefouled, the truth infallible, the life interminable. I am the most even way, most sovereign truth, true life increate and life blissful. If thou dwell in my way thou shalt know truth and truth shall deliver thee and thou shalt have everlasting life.
If thou wilt live keep the commandments. If thou wilt know truth believe me. If thou will be perfect sell all things. If thou wilt be my disciple deny thyself. If thou wilt have the life that is to come despise this that is present. If thou wilt be enhanced in heaven, meek (humble) thyself in the world. If thou wilt reign with me, bear my cross; for only the servants of the cross find the way of bliss and of everlasting light.
Lard Jesu, for thy way was strait and despised of the world, grant me to follow thee with the world's despising: for the servant is no greater than his lord nor the disciple above his master. Let thy servant be exercised in thy life for there is mine health and very holiness. Whatever The Imitation of Christ 273 I hear or read besides that, it refresheth not nor delighteth not fully.
Son, for thou hast read and knowest all these things thou art blissful if thou do them. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and I shall love him and show myself to him and shall make him an heir in the kingdom of my father.
Lord Jesu as thou hast said and promised so be it to me and so may I deserve. I have taken from thy hand the cross and so shall I bear it to my death as thou hast laid it upon me. Verily the cross is the life of a good monk and the leader to paradise. (When) it is begun it is not lawful to go backward nor is it behoveful to forsake it. Have done, brother, go we together; Jesu shall be with us. For Jesu we have taken this cross for Jesu persevere we in the cross. He shall be our help that is our leader and our predecessor.
Lo our king goeth before us and shall fight for us. Let us follow manly, let no man dread terrors; be we ready to die bravely in battle; let us put no spot on our glory in fleeing from the cross.
CHAPTER LXII THAT A MAN (MUST) NOT BE THROWN DOWN TOO MUCH IF HE FALL IN ANY FAULTS SON, patience and meekness in adversity pleaseth me more than much jubilation and devotion in prosperity. Why doth a little thing said or done against thee make thee sorry? It is no new thing: it is not the first, nor shall not be the last, if thou live long. Thou art manly enough all the while no contrary cometh against thee. Thou canst counsel well and labour (prove) other men with wise words; but when a sudden tribulation cometh to thy gate, thou failest both in counsel and in strength.
274 Thomas & Kempis Take heed to thy frailty whereof thou hast experience in many small objects and contrarinesses, nevertheless when these are all done for thine health and when they and such other happen, purpose as well as thou canst in thine heart that if they touch thee they throw thee not down nor long encumber thee; and at least suffer patiently if thou canst not suffer joyfully. And if thou canst not bear it gladly and feelest in thyself a loathing, restrain thyself and let nothing inordinate pass thy mouth that might be to the small and to the feeble an occasion of falling. The moving that would out (disturbance) shall soon rest and, grace returning again, the inward sorrow shall soon be made sweet.
Yet I live, saith our Lord, ready to help thee and comfort thee more than I am wont so that thou trust in me and inwardly and devoutly pray to me. Be mighty in soul and gird thee and make thee ready to more sufferance. It is not done idly if thou perceive thyself ofttimes troubled or grievously tempted. Thou art a man and not God, thou art flesh and no angel; how canst thou abide ever in one state of virtue, since that the first angel in heaven lacked and the first man hi paradise.
I am it that reareth to health them that mourn and bring to my Godhead them that know their own infirmity.
Lord, blessed be thy word sweet to my mouth above the hqney and the honeycomb. What should I do in so great tribulation and in mine anguish unless thou comfortedst me with thy holy words? If at the last I may come to the port of health what reck I what things and how great things I suffer? Grant me a good end, grant me a gracious going out of this world; have mind on me, my God and direct me in the right way to thy kingdom. Amen.
The Imitation of Christ 275 CHAPTER LXIII HIGH THINGS AND PRIVY JUDGMENTS OF GOD MUST NOT BE SEARCHED SON, be ware that thou dispute not of high matters and of the privy judgments of God, why this (one) is forsaken and another is taken up to so great 'grace; why this (one) is greatly pained and he is so excellently lift up. These things pass all man's faculty nor is there reason nor disputation that sufficeth to search God's judgment.
Wherefore when the enemy bringeth such things to mind or else curious men ask thee, answer and say with David: Lord thou art just and thy judgment is righteous; the judgments of God are true and justified in themselves. My judgments are to be dreaded and not to be searched; for they be incomprehensible to man's understanding.
Inquire nor dispute not of the merits of saints who is holier than another or who is greater in the kingdom of heaven. Such things ofttimes engender strifes and unprofitable contentions and nourish pride and vainglory whereof grow envies and dissensions while this (man) is about proudly to prefer one saint and another, another. For a man to will to search and to know such things bringeth forth not fruit but rather displeaseth saints; for I am no God of dissension but of peace, which peace standeth more in true meekness than in selfish exaltation.
Some with a manner of zeal of love are drawn with more affection to these saints or to those saints but that affection is more of man than it is godly. I it am that made all saints and granted (them) grace. I gave glory: I know the merits of every (one); I presented them with blessings of sweetness; I predestinated them before the world; I chose them out of the world; they chose not me before; I called them by grace; I drew them by mercy; I led them by divers temptations; I poured into them great consolations; I gave perseverance; I crowned their patience.
I know the first and the last, I call them all with an inestimable love. I am to be praised in all my saints. I am to be blessed above all things and to be honoured in every one of them whom I have so graciously magnified and predestined without any merits going before. He therefore that despiseth one of my least, honoureth not the great; for I made both the great and the small. And he that doth hindering to any of my saints doth derogation to me and to all other in the kingdom of saints.
Ml are one by the bond of charity; they feel the same, and all one; they will the same and they all love in one. And yet what is most high of all, they love me more than themselves, and drawn out of their own love go all and wholly into love of me in whom they rest rejoicing. There is nothing that can turn them away or throw them down since they being full of everlasting truth burn in an unquenchable fire of charity.
Wherefore let fleshly and beastly (natural) men cease to dispute of the state of saints that can only love their own and private joys. They put away and add according to their own inclination not as it pleaseth the everlasting truth; in many there is ignorance and specially in those that but little illumined can seldom love anybody with perfect spiritual love. They be greatly drawn with natural affection and men's friendship to these and to those; and as they behave them in these lower things so they imagine in heavenly things.
But there is a distance incomparable between those things that imperfect men think and those that men illumined by high revelation behold. Be ware therefore son that thou treat not curiously of such things as pass thy cunning but rather tend and labour to this that thou mayst be found though it be the least in the kingdom of heaven. And if a man knew what saint were holier or greater than another in the kingdom of heaven what should that The Imitation of Christ 277 knowing avail unless a man by the same knowledge meeked (humbled) himself before me and arose to greater praise of my name?
They are much more acceptable to God that think on the greatness of their sins and of the littleness of their virtues and how far they be from the perfection of saints than they that dispute of the greatness and of the littleness of saints. Better it is to pray to saints with devout prayer and tears and to desire their glorious suffrages with a meek soul than to search their secrets with vain inquiry.
They be well content and in the best manner content if men could be content and could restrain their vain speeches. They rejoice not in their own merits, they ascribe to themselves no goodness but all to me; for I gave them all things of mine infinite charity. They are fulfilled with so great love of the Godhead and such overflowing joy that nothing faileth them of glory, nothing faileth them of bliss. All saints the higher that they are in glory the more meek they be and the nearer to me. Therefore it is written that they laid their crowns before God and fell down prostrate before the Lamb and worshipped him for ever and ever.
Many ask who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven that know not whether they shall be worthy to be accounted among the least. This is a great thing for a man to be the least in heaven where all be great and all are called the sons of God and so they shall be. When the disciples asked who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven they had this answer: Unless ye be converted and made as small children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven; who ever therefore meeketh ( humble th) him as this little child he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Woe to them that disdain to meek (humble) themselves willingly as small children for the low gate of the kingdom of heaven shall not admit them to enter in. Woe also to rich men that have their consolations here; for, poor men entering into the kingdom of heaven, they shall stand without, wailing. Joy, ye meek folk, and be glad ye poor; for yours is the kingdom of God so that ye go in truth.
CHAPTER LXIV THAT ALL HOPE AND TRUST IS TO BE FIXED ONLY IN GOD LORD what is the trust that I have in this life or what is my greatest solace of all things appearing under heaven? Whether not thou my Lord of whose mercy is no number? Where was it well with me without thee or when might it be evil, thou being present? I had liever be poor for thee than rich without thee. I choose rather to be a pilgrim with thee in earth than to have heaven without thee. Where thou art there is heaven: and where thou are not there is death and hell. Thou art my desire and therefore after thee it is needful to mourn, to cry and to pray. I may fully trust in none that may help me in opportune necessities but only in thee my God.
Thou art mine hope, thou art my trust, thou my comfort and most faithful in all things. All other ask and seek their own advantages; thou pretendest only mine health and my profit and turnest all things to me into good. Yea though thou lay me out to divers temptations and adversities, all that thou ordainest to my profit, that art wont to prove thy chosen children in thousands of manners. In the which proving thou oughtest no less to be loved and praised than if thou fulfilledst me with heavenly consolations.
In thee therefore my Lord God I put all mine hope and all my refuge. In thee therefore I set all my tribulation and my anguish for I find all infirm and unstable whatever I behold outside thee. For many friends shall not avail nor many helpers shall not be able nor many wise counsellors give profitable counsel nor books of doctors give The Imitation of Christ 2 79 comfort nor precious substance of good deliver nor any secret or merry place make sure if thou be not assistant helping, comforting, informing and keeping. For all things that seem to be for the getting of peace and felicity, thou being absent, are not worth nor in truth give anything belonging to true felicity.
Thou therefore art the end of all good, the height of life, the depth of scriptures; and to hope in thee above all is the most mighty solace of thy servants. To thee are mine eyes dressed (directed), my God, father of mercies. Bless and sanctify my soul with an heavenly blessing, that it may be thy holy habitation and the seat of thine everlasting glory: and that nothing be found in the temple of thy dignity that may offend the eyes of thy majesty.
Look upon me according to the greatness of thy goodness and the multitude of thy pities and hear the prayer of thy poor servant being in exile all afar in the region of the shadow of death. Defend and keep the soul of thy little servant among so many perils of this corruptible life, and, thy grace going with him, direct him by the way ot peace to the country of everlasting clearness. Amen.
PART FOUR Here beginneth the fourth book of the following Jesu Christ and of the contemning of the world. Imprinted at the commandment of the most excellent Princess Margaret mother unto our sovereign lord King Henry the VII Countess of Rychemount and Derby, and by the same Princess it was translated out of French into English in form and manner ensuing, the year of our Lord God MDiiii.
PROLOGUS COME to me, saith our merciful Lord, all that labour and be charged and I shall give unto you refection. And the bread that I shall give unto you shall be my flesh for the life of the world. Take and eat it for it is my body that for you shall be given in sacrifice. Do ye this in remembrance of me. For whoso cateth my flesh and drinketh my blood he shall dwell in me and I in him. These words that I have said unto you be life and spirit of health.
IN WHAT GREAT REVERENCE AND FERVENT DESIRE WE OUGHT TO RECEIVE OUR LORD JESU CHRIST O MY Lord Jesu Christ, eternal truth, these words before said be thy words, albeit they have not been said in one time nor written in one place yet for that they be thy words I ought faithfully and agreeably to understand them.
They be thy words and thou hast proffered them; and they be now mine for thou hast said them for my health. I will gladly receive them from thy mouth to the end that they may be better sown and planted in my heart. Thy words of so great pity, full of love and sweetness, greatly excite me; but Lord my proper sins fear and draw back my conscience, not pure enough to receive so great a mystery.
The sweetness of thy words incite and provoke me; but the multitude of my sins charge and sore grieve me.
Thou commandest that I shall come unto thee faithfully if I will have part with thee to the end that I may receive the nourishment of immortality if I desire to obtain the joy and life eternal.
Thou sayest, Lord, "Come ye to me all that labour and be charged and I shall refresh you."
O how sweet and amiable a word is that in the ear of a sinner that thou, my Lord and God, listest of thy benign grace to bid me that am so poor and have so much need to the communion of thy precious body. O good Lord, what am I to presume to desire thee whom the heaven and earth may not comprehend: and thou sayest "Come ye all to me." What is this condescension and amiable bidding?
How shall I dare come unto thee, I who feel not that I have done any manner of good?
How shall I entertain thee in my house, I who so often have offended before thy glorious and right benign face?
The angels and archangels honour thee: the holy and just creatures dread thee and thou sayest, good Lord, "yet come ye all unto me." Lord, who should believe this thing to be true, if thyself did not say it?
And who is he that durst approach thereunto if thou didst not command it?
Noah, that just man, laboured for an hundred year to make the ark to the end that he might be saved with a few of his people. How may I prepare me then in an hour to receive thee with due reverence composer and creator of the world?
Moses, thy great familiar and special friend, made the ark of timber not corruptible which he covered with right pure gold and put in it the tables of the Law; and I, a corrupt creature how shall I now dare receive thee that are the maker of the Law and giver of grace and life unto all creatures?
The righteous Solomon, King of Israel, edified a rich temple to the praising and worshipping of thy name by the space of vii year and for viii days hallowed the feast of the dedication of the same: he offered a thousand victims to pacify thy goodness with and put the ark of the Covenant in the place made ready for the same with the sound of clarions and trumpets.
How dare I then, cursed and right poor among other creatures, receive thee into my house, I who scarce can know that I have well passed and employed one hour of time nor to my knowledge that I have devoutly passed one half hour.
O blessed Jesu, how many there have been before me that have studied to do anything that might please thee; alas, how little a thing is it that I do albeit the time is short. And yet when I dispose myself to receive thy holy communion I am but loosely gathered together and full coldly purged from all distractions of mind; and certainly The Imitation of Christ 283 no thoughts unprofitable ought to come into the holy presence of thy deity.
Also I ought not to occupy me with any creature for I shall not receive an angel but the Lord of angels into the secret of my heart.
For there is a great difference between the ark of the Covenant with his relics and the right pure and precious body with this virtues not failing but evermore enduring; and between the sacrifice of the prefigurative Law that was to come and the true victim thy precious body that is the accomplishment of all the old sacrifice.
Wherefore then should not I be more inflamed in thy venerable presence and with more solicitude prepare myself to receive the sacred and holy gifts and benefits of thee, inasmuch as the holy ancient patriarchs and prophets, kings and princes, with all the people, have showed so great affection towards thine honour and divine service in time past.
The right devout King David inclined to the ark of God with all his strength acknowledging and remembering the benefits done unto his fathers: he made organs of divers manners, and he composed psalms and instituted that they should be sung and he himself sang them with gladness and often times with the harp of the Holy Ghost. This king was inspired with the grace of God for he taught the people of Israel to praise God with all their hearts, blessing, honouring and preaching daily his holy name.
If so great devotion and remembrance was done with divine service and praise before the ark of his testament how great reverence and devotion ought we then to have in the presence of the sacrament and in the assumption of the right excellent body of our Lord Jesu Christ.
Also all Christian people use for to run to divers places for to visit the relics of saints and marvel to hear the marvellous deeds and works of them. They behold the great edifices or buildings of temples and kin the sacrificed 284 Thomas <J Kempis bones of saints wrapped in cloth of silk and gold and thou my Lord God, saint of all saints, creator of all things, Lord of all angels, thou art present on this altar here before me.
Oftentimes the curiosity of men and the novelties of things not yet seen be of little fruit and less to be set by; principally where there is so light recourse to them and great wavering without any contrition; but, my God, thou art all present in this blessed sacrament of the altar, very God and man, Jesu Christ, in whom the fruit eternal of health aboundeth and is perceived at all times when thou art worthily received.
And to this not any lightness of sensual curiosity draweth us but firm faith, devout hope and pure charity.
O God invisible, creator of all the world, how marvellously dost thou with us, how faithfully dost thou with them that do purpose to receive thyself in this blessed sacrament.
Certainly it surmounteth all understanding and draweth especially the hearts of devout people to devotion and embraceth their affection; for thy true and faithful friends that dispose all their life to amend themselves receive often great grace of devotion and virtue from that most worthy sacrament.
O marvellous hid grace which all manner of faithful Christian people of our Lord Jesu Christ only know; but the infidels and subjects unto sin may thereof have no experience.
In that sacrament the spiritual graces be confirmed and the virtue that was lost in the soul is repaired and beauty, by sin wasted, is recovered.
Sometimes this grace is so great that often with the plenitude of devotion not only the mind but also the feeble body feels its might and strength augmented; wherefore it behoveth us to have sorrow and pity for our sloth and negligence that we are not drawn with so great desire and affection to receive our Lord Jesu Christ in whom is all hope and the merit of them that ought to be saved: The Imitation of Christ 285 for he is our health and redemption and the consolation of travellers and the eternal fruition of saints.
Also we ought to have sorrow that so many understand, savour and reverence so little this holy sacrament which rejoiceth heaven and keepeth all the world.
Alas for this blindness and hardness of men's hearts that will not consider so singular and also so inestimable a gift as is given unto us but it falleth into inadvertence by daily and accustomable usage.
For if the sacrifice of this holy sacrament were done openly but in one place and but by one priest in all the world with how great desire, think ye, the people would go to that place and to that priest to hear the godly mysteries done by him; but now be made many priests and in many places this holy sacrament is offered to the end that the grace and love of God to man may the more appear forasmuch as this holy communion is spread throughout th world.
Thanks be unto thee, good pastor eternal, that hast vouchsafed to refresh and feed us poor banished creatures with thy right precious body and blood and also by the words of thine own mouth hast desired us to receive this holy mystery saying "Come ye all unto me that be charged and I will refresh you."
HOW THE GREAT CHARITY AND BOUNTY OF GOD IS SHEWED UNTO MAN IN THE HOLY SACRAMENT O MY God, I come unto Thee putting my confidence in Thy mercy and bounty; I sigh and come unto my Saviour; I, hungry and thirsty, unto the fountain of life; poor and needy unto the King of heaven; the servant unto his Lord, the creature unto his maker, a person desolate unto his piteous comforter.
286 Thomas & Kempis 286 Thomas & Kempis But wherefore is this that thou comes t thus unto me? who am I that thou wilt give thus thine own self to me? How dare I so simple and poor a sinner be bold to appear before thee and how can it please thee to come unto such a wretch?
Thou knowest thy servant and well understandest that nothing is good in him why thou shouldst do this grace unto me.
Then do I confess my unworthiness and acknowledge thy bounty and praise thy pity and give unto thee thanks for thy so much great charity; and thou doest this for thyself, good Lord, and not for my merit, to the end that thy bounty may the more be known unto me.
Thy charity is more largely verified and thy meekness commended more perfectly since it thus pleaseth thee and also thou hast commanded it to be done; this thy pleasure contenteth me and, with my will, my wickedness shall not resist against thee.
sweet and benign Jesu how great reverence and thanksgiving with perpetual praise be due unto thee, my good Lord, Jesu Christ, that by thy pleasure and will I may receive thy blessed body whose worthiness no man is found able to declare or express. But what shall I think of this communion when I shall come unto thee my Lord God, which I cannot duly honour, and yet I desire devoutly to receive thee. What may I think better and more profitable for me than to humble myself wholly before thee and to praise thine infinite bounty above all things.
1 praise thee my Lord God everlasting and dispraise myself and submit me unto the deepness of my wretchedness. O my God thou art saint of all saints and I the filth of all sinners, yet thou inclinest thyself unto me that am not worthy to behold thee.
Alas my sweet creator that so meekly comest unto me and wiliest to be with me and desirest me unto thy dinner and givest unto me the meat of heaven and the bread The Imitation of Christ 287 of angels which is bread of life and no less thing than thyself which didst descend from heaven and give life unto the world; let us see here what great love proceedeth from thee and what gentleness doth shine upon us.
How great yieldings of thanks and love be due unto thee from us sinners. O how profitable and how healthful was thy counsel when thou didst institute and ordain this gracious gift. O how sweet and joyous is that feast wherein thou hast given unto us the feeding of thy precious body.
O good Lord how marvellous be thy operations and how mighty is thy virtue and thy truth unable to be told. Thou hast said and all things were done and all that thou hast commanded hath taken effect.
A marvellous thing to be believed and far above the understanding of man that thou, my Lord God, very God and man, art wholly contained under a little likeness of bread and wine and thou art wholly received without consuming him that so receive th thee.
Thou, Lord of all, that hast no need of any manner of thing yet thou hast willed to inhabit within us by this thy holy sacrament. Lord, keep my heart and my body undefiled to the end that with a pure and joyous conscience I may often receive to my everlasting health these holy mysteries which be instituted and ordained chiefly unto thine honour and perpetual remembrance.
O my soul, rejoice thee and give thanks unto thy God for his noble gift and singular comfort that it will please him here in this vale of tears thus to comfort thee. For as oftentimes as thou rememberest this mystery and receivest this blessed body of our Lord, so often thou receivest the work of thy redemption and art made partner of all the merits of our Lord Jesu Christ. For his charity is never minished and the greatness of his mercy is never consumed; wherefore thou oughtest to dispose thee alway with a new revolving of thy thought and 288 Thomas 4 Kempis oughtest to consider this great mystery of thy health by attentive raising of thy soul.
And this work ought to be unto thee as greatly new and joyous when thou receivest it as if that same day our Lord had first descended into the womb of the Virgin Mary to be made man; or as if he that day had suffered death for the health of man upon the cross.
WHAT GREAT PROFIT IT IS OFTEN TO RECEIVE THE BODY OF OUR LORD JESU CHRIST LORD I come unto Thee to the end that wealth may come unto me of Thy gift and that I may joy at the holy feast that Thou hast made ready unto me, poor wretch, by thy sweet benignity in the which my Saviour is all that I may or ought to desire: for Thou art my health, my redemption, my strength, honour and joy.
Alas my Lord God make thy daily servant joyous. For my Lord Jesu I have raised my soul unto thee and now desire devoutly and reverently to receive thee into my house to the end that I may deserve with Zacchaeus to be blessed of thee and to be accompted among the children of Abraham.
My soul desireth thy body, my heart desireth to be united only with thee. Give thyself unto me good Lord and then I am sufficed, for without thee no consolation nor comfort is good; without thee I may not be and without thy visitation I may not live; wherefore it behove th me oftentimes to come and approach to thy high presence to receive thee for the remedy of my health to the intent I fail not in the way of this mortal life if I am defrauded of thy spiritual nourishing.
Also my right merciful Lord Jesu when thou hast preached unto the people and healed them of divers sickness thou The Imitation of Christ 289 hast said "I will not leave them fasting and without any refection lest peradventure they might fail in their way."
Do with me then, good Lord, in that manner since thou hast left this holy sacrament for the comfort of all faithful people; for thou art the sweet refection of the souls of them that have worthily received and eaten thee and they shall be partners and also inheritors of the eternal joy.