Imitation of Christ

CONTENTS. BOOK I. Chap. page I. Of the Imitation of Christ, and Contempt of the World and of all its Vanities 1 II. Of Humility in respect to one's own Knowledge 3 III. Of the Teaching of the Truth 5 IV. Of Prudence in our Actions 9 V. Of Reading the Scriptures 10 VI. Of Inordinate Affections 11 VII. Of Avoiding vain Hope and Self-esteem 12 VIII. That excessive Familiarity should be Avoided 14 IX. On Obedience and Subjection15 X. Of Talking too much 16 XI. Of acquiring Peace, and of earnest Desire for growth in Grace 18 XII. Of the Profitableness of Adversity 21 XIII. Of Resisting Temptations 22 XIV. Of Avoiding Rash Judgment 26 XV. Of Works done from Charity 27 XVI. On Bearing with the Defects of Others 29 XVII. Of a Life apart from the World 31 XVIII. Of the Examples of the Holy Fathers 32 XIX. On Religious Exercises 35 XX. On the Love of Solitude and Silence 39 XXI. Of Compunction of Heart 44 XXII. Of the State of Human Misery 47 XXIII. Of Meditation on Death 51 XXIV. On Judgment, and the Punishments of Sinners 56 XXV. Of Earnest Amendment of our Whole Life 61 BOOK II. I. Of the Inner Life 68 II. Of Humble Submission 73 III. Of a Good, Peaceful Man 74 IV. Of a Pure Mind and a Simple Intention 76 V. Of the Consideration of One's Self 78 VI. Of the Joy of a Good Conscience 80 VII. Of Loving Jesus above All Things 82 VIII. Of Familiar Friendship with Jesus 84 IX. Of the Absence of All Consolation 87 X. Of Gratitude for the Grace of God 91 XI. Of the Small Number of the Lovers of the Cross 94 XII. Of the Royal Way of the Holy Cross 97 BOOK III. I. Of Christ's speaking inwardly to the Faithful Soul 106 II. That Truth speaks inwardly without the sound of Words 107 III. That the Words of God are to be Heard with Humility, and that many do not Ponder them 109 IV. That we ought to Walk before God in Truth and Lowliness 103 V. Of the wonderful Effect of Divine Love 115 VI. Of the Test of a true Lover 130 VII. Of hiding Grace under the guard of Humility 133 VIII. Of a Low Estimation of one's self in the sight of God 127 IX. That all things are to be referred to God, as to their Last End 129 X. That to serve God, when you have Despised the World, is Sweet 130 XI. That the Desires of the Heart are to be Examined and Restrained 133 XII. Of cultivating Patience, and of striving against Lusts 135 XIII. Of the Obedience of humble subjection after the Example of Jesus Christ 138 XIV. Of the consideration of God's Secret Judgments, in order that we may not be Puffed up by any thing good in us 140 XV. What we ought to Do or Say with regard to everything we Desire 142 XVI. That True Comfort must be sought in God Alone 144 XVII. That all Cares should be cast upon God 146 XVIII. That temporal Miseries are to be borne patiently, after the Example of Christ 148 XIX. On bearing Injuries, and of the proof of a truly Patient Man 150 XX. Of the Acknowledgment of our own Infirmity ; and of the Miseries of this Life 152 XXXIX. That a Man must not be over Eager about his Affairs 196 XL. That a Man has nothing Good of Himself, nor any thing whereof to Glory 197 XLI. Of the Contempt of all Worldly Honour 200 XLII. That our Peace must not depend on Man 201 XLIII. Against Vain and Worldly Learning 202 XLIV. Of not taking up the Outward Things which come in our Path 204 XLV. That we must not Trust every one, and that it is a common thing to Slip with the Tongue 206 XLVI. Of Confidence in God when Words are Darted at us 209 XLVII. That all Things, however grievous, are to be borne for the sake of Eternal Life 213 XLVIII. On the Day of Eternity, and this Life's Distresses 215 XLIX. Of the Desire of Eternal Life, and how great are the Rewards which are Promised to those who Strive for them 219 L. How one in Desolation ought to Resign Himself into God's hands 224 LI. That a Man must occupy himself with humble Works when he is unable to attain to Things which are Highest LII. That a Man ought to consider himself more worthy of Chastisement than of Consolation LIII. That the Grace of God does not mingle with the Worldly-minded LIV. Of the different Motions of Nature and Grace LV. On the Corruption of Nature, and the Efficacy of Divine Grace LVI. That we ought to Deny Ourselves, and to Imitate Christ by the Cross LVII. That a Man should not be too Dejected at Failures or Trial 247 LVIII. That Things beyond our reach, and the Secret Judgments of God, are not to be Scrutinized 249 LIX. That all Hope and Trust is to be fixed in God Alone 255 BOOK IV. I. With how great Reverence Christ ought to be Received 258 II. That the great Goodness and Love of God are made manifest to Man in this Sacrament 265 III. That it is Profitable to Communicate often 269 IV. That many Benefits are granted to those who Communicate Devoutly 272 V. Of the Dignity of the Sacrament, and of the Priesthood 276 VI. An Enquiry as to the Way to Prepare for Communion 279 VII. Of the Examination of our own Conscience, and of the Resolution to Amend 279 VIII. Of the Oblation of Christ on the Cross, and of Resignation of Ourselves 282 IX. That we ought to Offer Ourselves and all that we have to God, and to Pray for All 284 X. That the Holy Communion is not for a Slight Thing to be Abstained from 287 XI. That the Body and Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are most necessary to the Faithful Soul 291 XII. That he who is about to Communicate ought to use Great Diligence to Prepare himself for Christ 296 XIII. That with the whole Heart the Devout Soul ought to seek Union with Christ in the Sacrament 299 XIV. Of the ardent Desire of some Devout Persons for the Body and Blood of Christ 301 XV. That the Grace of Devotion is obtained by Humility and Self-denial 303 XVI. That we ought to lay open our Necessities to Christ, and to seek His Grace 305 XVII. Of ardent Love for, and vehement Desire to Receive Christ 307 XVIII. That a Man should not be a curious Searcher into the Sacrament, but a humble Follower of Christ, submitting his senses to the Sacred Faith 310 Digitized by Google.