CONTENTS. BOOK I. I. Of the imitation of Christ, and the contempt of the vanities of the world 1 II. Of having a humble opinion of one-self 3 III. Of the doctrine of truth 4 IV. Of prudence in what we do 8 V. On reading the Holy Scriptures 8 VI. Of inordinate affections 9 VII. Of avoiding vain hope and arrogance 10 VIII. Of guarding against too much intimacy 11 IX. Of obedience and subjection 12 X. Of avoiding superfluity of words 13 XI. Of acquiring peace, and seal for our spiritual progress 14 XII. Of the advantage of adversity 17 XIII. Of resisting temptations 17 XIV. Of avoiding rash judgment 21 XV. Of works done out of charity 22 XVI. Of bearing the defects of others 23 XVII. Of the monastic life 25 XVIII. Of the examples of the holy fathers 26 XIX. Of the exercises of a good religious 28 XX. Of the love of solitude and silence 31 XXI. Of compunction of heart 35 XXII. Of the consideration of human misery 38 XXIII. Of the thoughts of death 41 XXIV. Of judgment, and the punishments of sinners 45 XXV Of the fervent amendment of our whole life 49 BOOK II. I. Of interior conversation 54 II. Of humble submission 58 III. Of the good peaceable man 59 IV. Of a pure mind and a simple intention 61 V. Of self-consideration 62 VI. Of the joy of a good conscience 64 VII. Of the love of Jesus above all things 66 VIII. Of familiar friendship with Jesus 67 IX. Of the want of all consolation 70 X. Of gratitude for the grace of God 73 XI. Of the small number of the lovers of the Cross of Jesus 76 XII. Of the royal road of the Holy Cross 78 BOOK III. I. Of the internal discourse of Christ to a faithful soul 83 II. That truth speaketh within us without noise of words 85 III. That the words of God are to be heard with humility, and that many weigh them not 86 IV. That we ought to walk before God in truth and humility 88 V. Of the wonderful effect of Divine love 91 VI. Of the proof of a true lover 93 VII. Of concealing grace under the guardianship of humility 97 VIII. Of the mean estimation of oneself in the eyes of God 99 IX. That all things are to be referred to God, as to our last end 102 X. That it is sweet to despise the world, and to serve God 104 XI. That the desires of our heart are to be examined and moderated 105 XII. Of acquiring patience, and of striving against concupiscence 108 XIII. Of the obedience of a humble subject, after the example of Jesus Christ 109 XIV. Of considering the secret judgments of God, that we be not puffed up with our own good works 111 XV. How we are to be disposed, and what we are to say, when we desire anything 113 XVI. That true consolation is to be sought in God alone 117 XVII. That all solicitude must be placed in God 118 XVIII. That temporal miseries are to be borne with equanimity, after the example of Christ 119 XIX. Of supporting injuries; and of him who is proved to be truly patient 121 XX. Of the confession of our own infirmity, and of tlio miseries of this life 128 XXI. That we are to rest in God above all goods and gifts 125 XXII. Of the remembrance of the manifold benefits of God 128 XXIII. Of four things which bring much peace 131 XXIV. Of avoiding curious inquiry respecting the life of others 133 XXV. In what firm peace of the heart and true progress doth consist 134 XXVI. Of the excellence of a free mind, which devout prayer rather than reading meriteth 136 XXVII. That self-love chiefly keepeth us back from the sovereign Good 138 XXVIII. Against the tongues of detractors 140 XXIX. How, when tribulation presseth, we must call upon and bless God 141 XXX. Of asking the Divine assistance, and of confidence of recovering grace 142 XXXI. Of the contempt of everything created, in order to find the Creator 145 XXXII. Of self-abnegnation, and the renunciation of all cupidity 147 XXXIII. Of the inconstancy of our heart, and of directing our final intention to God 149 XXXIV. That he that loveth God relisheth Him above all things and in all things 150 XXV. That there is no being secure from temptation in this life 152 XXXVI. Against the vain judgments of men 154 XXXVII. Of a pure and entire resignation of ourselves for the obtaining freedom of heart 155 XXXVIII. Of the good government of ourselves in outward things, and of having recourse to God in dangers 157 XXXIX. That a man must not be too anxious about his affairs 158 XL. That man hath no good of himself, and that he cannot glory in anything 159 XLI. Of the contempt of all temporal honour 161 XLII. That peace is not to be placed in mon 162 XLIII. Against vain and worldly learning 163 XLIV. Of not drawing to ourselves exterior things 165 XLV. That we may not believe all, and how easily we err in speech 166 XLVI. Of having confidence in God, when arrows of words are aimed against us 169 XLVII. That all grievous things are to be endured for life everlasting 171 XLVIII. Of the day of eternity, and of the distresses of this life 173 XLVIX. Of the desire of eternal life, and how great are the benefits promised to thorn that fight 177 L. How a desolate person ought to offer himself into the hands of God 181 LI. That we must exercise ourselves in humble works when we cannot attain to the highest 186 LII. That a man ought not to esteem himself worthy of consolation) but rather deserving of chastisement 186 LIII. That the grace of God is not communicated to the earthly-minded 188 LIV. Of the different motives of nature and grace 190 LV. Of the corruption of nature) and of the efficacy of Divine grace 194 LVI. That we ought to deny ourselves, and imitate Christ by the cross 197 LVII. That a man should not be too much dejected when he falls into some defects 200 LVIII. Of not searching into high matters, nor scrutinising the secret judgments of God 202 LIX. That all hope and confidence is to be fixed in God alone 207 BOOK IV. I. With how great reverence Christ ought to be received 209 II. That the great goodness and love of God are shown to man in this covenant 216 III. That it is profitable to communicate often 218 IV. That many benefits are bestowed on those who communicate devoutly 221 V. Of the dignity of the Sacrament, and of the priestly state 224 VI. A self-interrogation concerning the exercise proper before Communion 227 VII. Of the examination of our own conscience, and of a resolution of amendment 227 VIII. Of the oblation of Christ on the cross, and of the resignation of ourselves 280 IX. That we must offer ourselves, and all that is ours, to God, and pray for all 281 X. That the Holy Communion is not lightly to be forborne 284 XI. That the Body of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are most necessary to a faithful soul 287 XII. With how great diligence he who is to communicate ought to prepare himself for Christ 242 XIII. That a devout soul ought to desire, with the whole heart, to be united to Christ in this Sacrament 244 XIV. Of the ardent desire of some devout persons towards the Body of Christ 245 XV. That the grace of devotion is acquired by humility and self-abnegation 248 XVI. That we ought to lay open our necessities to Christ, and crave His grace 250 XVII. Of an ardent love and vehement desire to receive Christ 261 XVIII. That a man should not be a curious searcher into this Sacrament, but a humble follower of Christ submitting his sense to holy faith 264 Digitized by Google.

Attributed to Thomas à Kempis

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