Imitation Of Christ

1 CHAPTER I Of the imitation of Christ, and of contempt of the world and all its vanities 2 CHAPTER II Of thinking humbly of oneself 3 CHAPTER III Of the knowledge of truth 4 CHAPTER IV Of prudence in action 5 CHAPTER V Of the reading of Holy Scriptures 6 CHAPTER VI Of inordinate affections 7 CHAPTER VII Of fleeing from vain hope and pride 8 CHAPTER VIII Of the danger of too much familiarity 9 CHAPTER IX Of obedience and subjection 10 CHAPTER X Of the danger of superfluity of words 11 CHAPTER XI Of seeking peace of mind and of spiritual progress 12 CHAPTER XII Of the uses of adversity 13 CHAPTER XIII Of resisting temptation 14 CHAPTER XIV On avoiding rash judgment 15 CHAPTER XV Of works of charity 16 CHAPTER XVII Of a religious life 17 CHAPTER XVIII Of the example of the Holy Fathers 18 CHAPTER XIX Of the exercises of a religious man 19 CHAPTER XX Of the love of solitude and silence 20 CHAPTER XXI Of compunction of heart 21 CHAPTER XXII On the contemplation of human misery 22 CHAPTER XXIII Of meditation upon death 23 CHAPTER XXIV Of the judgment and punishment of the wicked 24 CHAPTER XXV Of the zealous amendment of our whole life 25 CHAPTER I Of the inward life 26 CHAPTER II Of lowly submission 27 CHAPTER III Of the good, peaceable man 28 CHAPTER V Of self-esteem 29 CHAPTER VI Of the joy of a good conscience 30 CHAPTER VII Of loving Jesus above all things 31 CHAPTER VIII Of the intimate love of Jesus 32 CHAPTER IX Of the lack of all comfort 33 CHAPTER X Of gratitude for the Grace of God 34 CHAPTER XI Of the fewness of those who love the Cross of Jesus 35 CHAPTER XII Of the royal way of the Holy Cross 36 CHAPTER I Of the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul I will hearken what the Lord God shall say within me.(1) Blessed is the soul which heareth the Lord speaking within it 37 CHAPTER II What the truth saith inwardly without noise of words 38 CHAPTER III How all the words of God are to be heard with humility, and how many consider them not 39 A PRAYER FOR THE SPIRIT OF DEVOTION 40 CHAPTER IV How we must walk in truth and humility before God 41 CHAPTER V Of the wonderful power of the Divine Love 42 CHAPTER VI Of the proving of the true lover 43 CHAPTER VII Of hiding our grace under the guard of humility 44 CHAPTER VIII Of a low estimation of self in the sight of God 45 CHAPTER IX That all things are to be referred to God, as the final end 46 CHAPTER X That it is sweet to despise the world and to serve God 47 CHAPTER XI That the desires of the heart are to be examined and governed 48 CHAPTER XII Of the inward growth of patience, and of the struggle against evil desires 49 CHAPTER XIII Of the obedience of one in lowly subjection after the example of Jesus Christ 50 CHAPTER XIV Of meditation upon the hidden judgments of God, that we may not be lifted up because of our well-doing 51 CHAPTER XV How we must stand and speak, in everything that we desire 52 CHAPTER XVI That true solace is to be sought in God alone 53 CHAPTER XVII That all care is to be cast upon God 54 CHAPTER XVIII That temporal miseries are to be borne patiently after the example of Christ 55 CHAPTER XIX Of bearing injuries, and who shall be approved as truly patient 56 CHAPTER XX Of confession of our infirmity and of the miseries of this life 57 CHAPTER XXI That we must rest in God above all goods and gifts 58 CHAPTER XXII Of the recollection of God's manifold benefits 59 CHAPTER XXIII Of four things which bring great peace 60 CHAPTER XXIV Of avoiding of curious inquiry into the life of another 61 CHAPTER XXV Wherein firm peace of heart and true profit consist 62 CHAPTER XXVI Of the exaltation of a free spirit, which humble prayer more deserveth than doth frequent reading 63 CHAPTER XXVII That personal love greatly hindereth from the highest good 64 A PRAYER FOR CLEANSING OF THE HEART AND FOR HEAVENLY WISDOM 65 CHAPTER XXVIII Against the tongues of detractors 66 CHAPTER XXIX How when tribulation cometh we must call upon and bless God 67 CHAPTER XXX Of seeking divine help, and the confidence of obtaining grace 68 CHAPTER XXXI Of the neglect of every creature, that the Creator may be found 69 CHAPTER XXXII Of self-denial and the casting away all selfishness 70 CHAPTER XXXIII Of instability of the heart, and of directing the aim towards God 71 CHAPTER XXXIV That to him who loveth God is sweet above all things and in all things 72 CHAPTER XXXV That there is no security against temptation in this life 73 CHAPTER XXXVI Against vain judgments of men 74 CHAPTER XXXVII Of pure and entire resignation of self, for the obtaining liberty of heart 75 CHAPTER XXXVIII Of a good government in external things, and of having recourse to God in dangers 76 CHAPTER XXXIX That man must not be immersed in business 77 CHAPTER XL That man hath no good in himself, and nothing whereof to glory 78 CHAPTER XLI Of contempt of all temporal honour 79 CHAPTER XLII That our peace is not to be placed in men 80 CHAPTER XLIII Against vain and worldly knowledge 81 CHAPTER XLIV Of not troubling ourselves about outward things 82 CHAPTER XLV That we must not believe everyone, and that we are prone to fall in our words 83 CHAPTER XLVI Of having confidence in God when evil words are cast at us 84 CHAPTER XLVII That all troubles are to be endured for the sake of eternal life 85 CHAPTER XLVIII Of the day of eternity and of the straitnesses of this life 86 CHAPTER XLIX Of the desire after eternal life, and how great blessings are promised to those who strive 87 CHAPTER L How a desolate man ought to commit himself into the hands of God 88 CHAPTER LI That we must give ourselves to humble works when we are unequal to those that are lofty 89 CHAPTER LII That a man ought not to reckon himself worthy of consolation, but more worthy of chastisement 90 CHAPTER LIII That the Grace of God doth not join itself to those who mind earthly things 91 CHAPTER LIV Of the diverse motions of Nature and of Grace 92 CHAPTER LV Of the corruption of Nature and the efficacy of Divine Grace 93 CHAPTER LVII That a man must not be too much cast down when he falleth into some faults 94 CHAPTER LVIII Of deeper matters, and God's hidden judgments which are not to be inquired into 95 CHAPTER LIX That all hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone 96 A devout exhortation to the Holy Communion The Voice of Christ 97 CHAPTER I With how great reverence Christ must be received 98 CHAPTER II That the greatness and charity of God is shown to men in the Sacrament 99 CHAPTER III That it is profitable to Communicate often 100 CHAPTER IV That many good gifts are bestowed upon those who Communicate devoutly 101 CHAPTER V Of the dignity of this Sacrament, and of the office of the priest 102 CHAPTER VI An inquiry concerning preparation for Communion 103 CHAPTER VII Of the examination of conscience, and purpose of amendment 104 CHAPTER VIII Of the oblation of Christ upon the cross, and of resignation of self 105 CHAPTER IX That we ought to offer ourselves and all that is ours to God, and to pray for all 106 CHAPTER X That Holy Communion is not lightly to be omitted 107 CHAPTER XI That the Body and Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are most necessary to a faithful soul 108 CHAPTER XII That he who is about to Communicate with Christ ought to prepare himself with great diligence 109 CHAPTER XIII That the devout soul ought with the whole heart to yearn after union with Christ in the Sacrament 110 CHAPTER XIV Of the fervent desire of certain devout persons to receive the Body and Blood of Christ 111 CHAPTER XV That the grace of devotion is acquired by humility and self-denial 112 CHAPTER XVI That we ought to lay open our necessities to Christ and to require His Grace 113 CHAPTER XVII Of fervent love and vehement desire of receiving Christ 114 CHAPTER XVIII That a man should not be a curious searcher of the Sacrament, but a humble imitator of Christ, submitting his sense to holy faith