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Title: The following of Christ translated out of Latin into Englishe, newlie corrected and amended. VVherento also is added the golden epistle of Sainct Bernarde. And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of Mirandula.
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Print source: The following of Christ translated out of Latin into Englishe, newlie corrected and amended. VVherento also is added the golden epistle of Sainct Bernarde. And nowe lastelie the rules of a Christian lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder earle of Mirandula.
Cyprian, Saint, d. 304. [Swete and devoute sermon of mortalitie of man]. aut, Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555?, Elyot, Thomas, Sir, 1490?-1546., Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153. Epistola de perfectione vitae. English. aut, Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463-1494. Regulae duodecim portim excitantes portim dirigentes hominem in pugna spirituali. English., Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name.
[Rouen: G. L'Oyselet], Anno. 1585.
Alternate titles: Imitatio Christi. English.
Subject terms:
Jesus Christ -- Example -- Early works to 1800.
Meditations -- Early works to 1800.
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A13678.0001.001
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
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title page
The introduction.
A preface to the booke folovvinge.
Hereafter folovveth the chapters. of this present booke.
book
Of the Imitation or folovving of Christe, and of the despising of all vanities of the vvorlde. The firste Chapter.
Against vayne seculer cunning, and of a meeke knovvinge of our selfe. The 2. Chapter.
Of the teaching of truth. The .3. Chapter.
That light credence is not to be geuen to vvordes. The .4. Chapter.
Of the readinge of holy Scripture. The .5. Chapter.
Of inordinate affections. The 6. Chapter.
That vayne hope and elation of mynde are to be fled and auoyded. The .7. Chapter.
That muche familiaritie is to be auoyded. The .8. Chapter.
Of meeke subiection and obedience, and that vve shall gladly folovve the counsayle of others. The 9. Chapter.
That vve shoulde auoyde superfluitie of vvor∣des, and the company of vvorldly liuinge people. The .10. Chapter.
The meanes to get peace, and of desire to profite in vertues. The 11. Chapter.
Of the profite of aduersitie. The .12. Chapter.
Of temptations to be resisted. The 13. Chapter.
That vve shall not iudge lightly other mens deedes, nor cleaue much to our ovvne vvill. The 14. Chapter.
Of vvorkes done in charitie. The 15. Chapter.
Of the suffering of other mens defaultes. The .16. Chapter.
VVhat sholde be the life of a true religious person. The .17. Chapter.
Of the examples of holy fathers. The .18. Chapter.
Of the exercises of a good religious person. The 19. Chapter.
Of the loue of onelines and silence. The .20. Chapter.
Of compunction of the heart. The .21. Chapter.
Of the consideringe of the miserie of man∣kinde, and vvherein the felicitie of man standeth. The .22. Chapter.
Of the remembraunce of death. The .23. Chapter.
Of the last iudgement, and of the payne that is ordeyned for sinne. The 24. Chapter.
Of the feruent amendinge of all our life, and that vve shall speciallie take heede of our ovvne soule health, before all other. The .25. Chapter.
Here beginneth the seconde Booke.
Of invvarde conuersation. The firste Chapter.
Of a meeke knovving of our ovvne defaultes. The second Chapter.
Hovve good it is for a man to be peacefull. The 3. Chapter.
Of a pure mind, and a simple intent. The .4. Chapter.
Of the knovvinge of our selfe. The .5. Chapter.
Of the gladnes of a cleane conscience. The 6. Chapter.
Of the loue of Iesu aboue all thinges. The .7. Chapter.
Of the familier freendship of Iesu. The .8. Chapter.
Of the vvanting of all solace and comfort. The 9. Chapter.
Of yeeldinge thankes to God for his mani∣folde graces. The .10. Chapter.
Of the small number of the louers of the Crosse. The .11. Chapter.
Of the vvay of the Crosse, and bovve profi∣table patience is in aduersitie. The 12. Chapter.
Here beginneth the third Booke.
Of the invvarde speakinge of Christ to a faythfull soule. The firste Chapter.
Hovve allmightie God speaketh invvardlye to mans soule vvithout sounde of vvordes. The .2. Chapter.
That the vvordes of God are to be hearde vvith great meekenes, and that there be but fevve that ponder them, as they ought to doe. The .3. Chapter.
A prayer to obteyne the grace of deuotion. The .4. Chapter.
Hovve vve ought to be conuersant before God in truth and meekenes. The 5. Chapter.
Of the meruaillous effect of the loue of God. The .6. Chapter.
Of the proufe of a true louer of God. The 7. Chapter.
Hovve grace is to be kept close through the vertue of meekenes. The .8. Chapter.
Hovv vve shall thinke through meekenes our selfe to be vile and abiect in the sight of God. The 9. Chapter.
Hovve all thinges are to be referred to God, as ende of euery vvorke. The .10. Chapter.
That it is svveete and delectable to serue God, and to forsake the vvorlde. The 11. Chapter.
That the desires of the heart ought to be vvell examined and moderated. The 12. Chapter.
Hovv vve should keepe patience, and continually stryue agaynst all concupiscence. The .13. Chapter.
Of the obedience of a meeke subiect, after the example of our Lorde Iesu Christe. The 14. Chapter.
Of the secrete and hid iudgementes of God to be considered, that vve be not proude of our good deedes. The .15. Chapter.
Hovv a man shall order him selfe in his desires. The .16. Chapter.
A prayer, that the vvill of God be alvvaye fulfilled. The 17. Chapter.
That the verye true solace & comfort is in god. The .18. Chapter.
That all our study and busines of minde ought to be put in God. The .19. Chapter.
That all temporall miseries are gladly to be borne through the example of Christe The 20. Chapter.
Of patient suffering of iniuries and vvronges, and vvho is truely patient. The .21. Chapter.
Of the knovvinge of our ovvne infirmities, and of the miseries of this life. The .22. Chapter.
Hovve a man shoulde rest in God aboue all thinges. The 23. Chapter.
Of remembringe of the great and many∣folde benefites of God. The 24. Chapter.
Of foure things that bring peace into the soule. The 25. Chapter.
A prayer against euill thoughtes. The .26. Chapter.
A prayer for clarifying of mans minde. The .27. Chapter.
That it is not good to searche curiouslye another mans lyfe. The 28. Chapter.
In vvhat thing the peace of heart, and greatest profite of man standeth. The 29. Chapter.
Of the libertie, excellencie, and vvorthi∣nesse of a free mynde. The .30. Chapter.
That priuate loue most letteth a man from God. The .31. Chapter.
A prayer for the purginge of mans soule, and for heauenlye vvisdome and the grace of God to be obteyned and had. The 32. Chapter.
Agaynst the euill sayinges of detractours. The 33. Chapter.
Hovve almightie God is to be invvarldlye called vnto, in time of tribulation. The 34. Chapter.
Of the helpe of God to be asked, and of a full trust to recouer through deuout prayer our former grace. The .35. Chapter.
Hovv vve should forget all creatures, that vve might finde our Creator. The .36. Chapter.
Hovve vve should forsake our selfe, and thruste dovvne all couetise out of our heartes. The .37. Chapter.
Of the vnstablenes of mans harte; and that our finall intent in all thinges shoulde be to God. The .38. Chapter.
Hovve our Lorde God sauoureth to his louer svveetly aboue all things, and in all things. The 39. Chapter.
That there is no full suretie from tempta∣tion in this lyfe. The 40. Chapter.
Against the vaine iudgementes of men. The 41. Chpter.
Of a pure and a vvholle forsakinge of our selfe and our ovvne vvill, that vve might get the freedome of spirite, and folovve the vvill of God. The .42. Chapter.
Hovve a man shall rule him selfe in outvvarde things, and hovve he ought to call to God for helpe in all perils aud daungers. The .43. Chapter.
That a man shoulde not be importune in his busines. The .44. Chapter.
That man hath no goodnes of him selfe, and that he may not rightfully glorifye him selfe in any thing. The 45. Chapter.
Hovve all temporall honour is to be despised. The 46. Chapter.
That our trust is not to be put in vvorldlye people. The 47. Chapter.
That vve should eschevv vayne se∣culer cunninge. The .48. Chapter.
That vve shoulde not regarde muche outvvarde thinges, nor poder but litle the iudgement of man. The 49. Chapter.
That men be not alvvaye to be beleeued, for that they so lightlye offende in vvordes. The .50. Chapter.
That vve shall put all our confidence in God, vvhen euill vvordes be spoken to vs. The .51. Chapter.
Hovve all greeuous thinges in this lyfe are gladlie to be suffered, for vvinning of the lyfe that is to come. The .52. Chapter.
Of the daye of eternitie, and of the miseries of this lyfe. The 53. Chapter.
Of the desire of euerlastinge life, and of the great revvarde that is promised to them that stronglye fight agaynst sinne. The 54. Chapter.
Hovve a man that is desolate, ought to offer hym selfe vvhollye to God. The .55. Chapter.
That it is good, that a man geue hym selfe to meeke bodilye laboures, vvhen he feeleth not hym selfe disposed to high vvorkes of deuotion. The 56. Chapter.
That a man shall not thinke him selfe, vvorthy to haue comfort, but rather to haue sorovve and payne: and of the profite of contrition. The 57. Chapter.
That grace vvill not be mixt vvith loue of vvorldlye thinges. The .58. Chapter.
Of the diuersities and diuers mouinges be∣tvvene nature and grace. The 59. Chapter.
Of the corruption of nature, and the vvor∣thynes of grace. The .60. Chapter.
That vve ought to forsake our selfe, and to folovv Christe by bearinge of hys Crosse. The 61. Chapter.
That a man shall not be ouermuche cast into heauynes, though he happen to fall into some defaules. The .62. Chapter.
That a man shall not searche the iudge∣mentes of God. The .63. Chapter.
That all our hope and trust is to be put in God onelye. The 64. Chapter.
Hereafter foloweth the fourth Booke of the folowinge of Christe, which trea∣teth moste speciallye of the Sacrament of the aultare.
Prologue.
VVith hovve great reuerence Christe is to be receaued. The firste Chapter.
That the great goodnes and charitie of God is geuen to man in this blessed Sacrament. The second Chapter.
That it is very profitable ofte to be houseled. The .3. Chapter.
That many commodities be geuen to them, that deuoutly receaue this holye Sacrament. The 4. Chapter.
Of the vvorthines of the Sacrament of the Aultar, and of the state of priesthood. The .5. Chapter.
Of the invvarde remembraunce and exercise that a man ought to haue afore the re∣ceauinge of the bodye of Christe. The 6. Chapter.
Of the discussing of our ovvne conscience, and of the purpose of amendment. The 7. Chapter.
Of the oblation of Christe on the Crosse, and of a full forsakinge of our selfe. The 8. Chapter.
That vve ought to offer our selfe and all ours to God, and to praye for all people. The 9. Chapter.
That the holye Communion is not light∣lye to be forborne. The .10. Chapter.
That the bodye of Christe and holye Scrip∣ture, are moste necessarye for the health of mans soule. The .11. Chapter.
That he that shall be houseled ought to pre∣pare hym selfe therto before vvith great diligence. The .12. Chapter.
That a deuout soule shoulde greatlye desire vvith all his heart to be vnited to Christe in this blessed Sacrament. The .13. Chapter.
Of the brenninge desire that some deuoute persons haue had to the body of Christe. The 14. Chapter.
That the grace of deuotion is gotten thorough meekenes, and for sakinge of our selfe. The 15. Chapter.
That vveshoulde open all our necessities to Christe, and aske his grace. The 16. Chapter.
Of the burninge loue and great affection that vve shoulde haue to receyue Christe. The 17. Chapter.
That a man shall not be a curious searcher of this holye Sacrament, but a meeke folovver of Christe, subduinge alvvaye his reason to fayth. The 18. Chapter.
HERE BEGINNETH A GODLY Treatise, and it is called a notable Les∣son, otherwise it is called the golden Epistle.
The exposition of the name of this lytle Booke.
editor's note
A spirituall glasse.
THE RVLES OF A CHRISTIAN lyfe, made by Iohn Picus the elder Erle of Mirandula.