The Epistles of Thomas a Kempis

Another Rare Work from Thomas A Kempis, Author of the 2nd Best Selling book of all time - The Imitation of Christ. Excerpt: My Beloved Brother, let us take from the Hand of God whatever by His Will comes upon us: for nothing happens upon earth but from a just and certain cause in the appointment of Divine providence. Let it, therefore, be our care to submit our hearts and our judgments to God, that He, beholding our humility and our patience, may dispose all things to a happy end,...
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Another Rare Work from Thomas A Kempis, Author of the 2nd Best Selling book of all time - The Imitation of Christ. Excerpt: My Beloved Brother, let us take from the Hand of God whatever by His Will comes upon us: for nothing happens upon earth but from a just and certain cause in the appointment of Divine providence. Let it, therefore, be our care to submit our hearts and our judgments to God, that He, beholding our humility and our patience, may dispose all things to a happy end, according to our desires. Let us bow down under His holy and glorious Majesty, because we are but dust; and let us reflect how great a thing it is, how much for our honour, that God should at any time regard us. Humbling our souls under His mighty Hand, and confessing our faults, and acknowledging the justice of God's judgments (which though often hidden from us, are always righteous), let us pray much, and earnestly beg the prayers of others, that His infinite clemency would put an end to our misery, and to the tribulations which we endure from our manifold temptations. Neither let us be distrustful of our salvation, because we meet with so many hindrances, and are tempted oftener than we looked for, and it may seem, more grievously than others; nor because we are uncertain, and can labour so little; nor because we so often fall, and rise but slowly; nor because we have but little feeling of devotion and Divine comfort, and but little sensible love of God and virtue. All these things are wont to befall the good, and the most religious frequently experience these trials. When, therefore, we find ourselves thus afflicted, in the midst of so many evils and troubles, let us humbly address ourselves to God, saying: "O my Lord God! If I am not worthy, and if it is not Thy Will that I be freed from this tribulation of my heart, at least grant me this petition, that I may be patient and not murmur against Thy rod with which Thou chastisest me: for I well remember what is sung in Thy Church, that the stones which are in the building of the heavenly Jerusalem have been smoothed and polished by many hard strokes and bruises; and that all are introduced thither who in this world are persecuted for the Name of Christ. For which reason I beseech Thee, that for whatever cause I suffer these things) Thou wouldest make them tend to the purifying of my soul, and teach me to receive them as a mark of Thy clemency, and not a sign of reprobation." Thus we should resign ourselves to God with an entire affection, and confide in His goodness for more than we dare to ask. We are His creatures, and He careth for us. He that has called us, will not deny us help, but will preserve us for ever from the temptation of desiring to find our comfort in the world, and to return back to the broad way in which many walk. I admonish you to attend to the holy Scriptures. Would you follow Christ or this world? Do you believe the Apostle, or the philosopher? Christ says, "Enter ye in at the strait gate," (St. Matt. vii. 13) and again: "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of He, for I am, meek and lowly in heart." (Ibid. xi. 29) The Apostle says: "Be not conformed to this world:" (Rom. xii. 2) and, "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." (Ibid. viii. 13) "Let no one deceive you with vain words." (Eph. v. 6) "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Gal. v. 24) "I am crucified with Christ." (Ibid. ii. 20) "The world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (Ibid. vi. 14, 17) "I count all things but dung, that I may win Christ." (Phil. iii. 8)