The Imitation of Christ (Moody Classics)

by Thomas à Kempis

grace walketh in simplicity, abstaineth from all appearance of evil, pretendeth not deceits, and doeth all things purely for God’s sake, in whom also she finally resteth.

grace is kind-hearted and communicative, shunneth private interest, is content with a little, judgeth that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Grace favoreth the poor rather than the rich, hath more compassion for the innocent than for the powerful, rejoiceth with the true man, not with the deceitful.

O Lord, how entirely needful is thy grace for me, to begin anything good, to proceed with it, and to accomplish it.

Thy grace is the mistress of truth, the teacher of discipline, the light of the heart, the solace in affliction, the banisher of sorrow, the expeller of fear, the nurse of devotion, the mother of tears.

Follow thou me: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”1 Without the Way, there is no going; without the Truth, there is no knowing; without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way, which thou oughtest to follow; the Truth, which thou oughtest to trust; the Life, which thou oughtest to hope for.

For many friends can not profit, nor strong helpers assist, nor prudent counsellors give a profitable answer, nor the books of the learned afford comfort, nor any precious substance deliver, nor any place, however retired and lovely, give shelter, unless thou thyself dost assist, help, strengthen, console, instruct, and guard us.

For this most high and precious sacrament is the health both of soul and body, the medicine for all spiritual languor; hereby my vices are cured, my passions bridled, my temptations overcome, or at least weakened; greater grace is infused, virtue begun is increased, faith is confirmed, hope strengthened, and love inflamed and enlarged.

For any devout person may every day and every hour profitably and without prohibition draw near to Christ in spiritual communion.

when that which is perfect is come, the use of sacraments shall cease;2 because the blessed in heavenly glory need not any sacramental remedy.

I desire to reserve nothing to myself, but freely and most cheerfully to sacrifice unto thee myself and all that is mine.

Submit thyself unto God, and humble thy sense to faith, and the light of knowledge shall be given thee, in such degree as shall be profitable and necessary for thee.

If the works of God were such, as that they might be easily comprehended by human reason, they could not be justly called marvellous or unspeakable.