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Title: The follovving of Christ Diuided into foure bookes. Written in Latin by the learned and deuout man, Thomas a Kempis, canon-regular of the order of S. Augustine. Whereunto also is added the golden Epistle of S. Bernard. And also certaine rules of a Christian life, made by Iohn Picus the elder, Earle of Mirandula. Translated into English by B.F.
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Print source: The follovving of Christ Diuided into foure bookes. Written in Latin by the learned and deuout man, Thomas a Kempis, canon-regular of the order of S. Augustine. Whereunto also is added the golden Epistle of S. Bernard. And also certaine rules of a Christian life, made by Iohn Picus the elder, Earle of Mirandula. Translated into English by B.F.
Hoskins, Anthony, 1568-1615., Elyot, Thomas, Sir, 1490?-1546., Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint, 1090 or 91-1153. Epistola de perfectione vitae. English., Pico della Mirandola, Giovanni, 1463-1494, Regulae duodecim portim excitantes portim dirigentes hominem in pugna spirituali. English. aut, Thomas, à Kempis, 1380-1471, attributed name., Whitford, Richard, fl. 1495-1555?
[England]: Printed with licence [by the English secret press], 1615.
Alternate titles: Imitatio Christi. English.
Subject terms:
Meditations -- Early works to 1800.
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A13694.0001.001
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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TO THE HONO∣RABLE AND VERTVOVS ELIZABETH VAVX, Mother to the Lord HAR∣RODOVVNE.
A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS ensuing Booke.
OF THE FOL∣LOWING OF CHRIST. THE FIRST BOOKE.
CHAP. I. Of the Imitation of Christ, and contempt of all the vanities of the world.
CHAP. II. Of the humble conceit of our selues.
CHAP. III. Of the doctrine of Truth.
CHAP. IV. Of Prudence and Fore-sight in our actions.
CHAP. V. Of the reading of holy Scriptures.
CHAP. VI. Of inordinate desires, and affections.
CHAP. VII. Of flying vaine Hope, and Pride.
CHAP. VIII. That too much familiarity is to be shunned.
CHAP. IX. Of Obedience, and Subiection.
CHAP. X. Of the auoiding supersluity of words.
CHAP. XI. Of the obtaining of peace, and zeale of spirituall profit.
CHAP. XII. Of the profit of Aduersitie.
CHAP. XIII. Of Resisting Temptations.
CHAP. XIV. Of auoiding rash Iudgement.
CHAP. XV. Of Workes done of Charity.
CHAP. XVI. Of bearing with the defects of others.
CHAP. XVII. Of Religious life.
CHAP. XVIII. Of the examples of the holy Fathers.
CHAP. XIX. Of the Exercise of a good and Religious person.
CHAP. XX. Of the loue of Solitude and Silence.
CHAP. XXI. Of Compunction of heart.
CHAP. XXII. Of the consideration of humane misery.
CHAP. XXIII. Of the consideration of death.
CHAP. XXIV. Of Iudgement, and the punishment of sinne.
CHAP. XXV. Of the feruent amendment of our whole life.
OF THE FOL∣LOWING OF CHRIST. THE SECOND BOOKE.
CHAP. I. Of spirituall conuersation.
CHAP. II. Of humble submission.
CHAP. III. Of a good and peaceable man.
CHAP. IV. Of a pure minde and vpright intention.
CHAP. V. Of the consideration of ones selfe.
CHAP. VI. Of the confort of a good Conscience.
CHAP. VII. Of the loue of IESVS aboue all things.
CHAP. VIII. Of familiar conuersation with IESVS.
CHAP. IX. Of the want of all comfort.
CHAP. X. Of thankefulnesse for the grace of God.
CHAP. XI. How few the louers of the Crosse of Christ are.
CHAP. XII. Of the high way of the holy Crosse.
OF THE FOL∣LOWING OF CHRIST. THE THIRD BOOKE.
CHAP. I. Of the inward speech of Christ vnto a faithfull soule.
CHAP. II. That truth speaketh inwardly without noyse of Words.
CHAP. III. That the words of God are to be heard with hu∣mility, and that many weigh them not.
A prayer to implore the grace of deuotion.
CHAP. IV. That we ought to liue in truth and humility in the sight of God.
CHAP. V. Of the wonderfull effect of diuine grace.
CHAP. VI. Of the proofe of a true Louer.
CHAP. VII. That grace is to be hid vnder the veile of humilitie.
CHAP. VIII. Of a meane conceit of our selues in the sight of God.
CHAP. IX. That all things are to be referred vnto God, as vnto the last end.
CHAP. X. That despising the world, it is sweet to serue God.
CHAP. XI. That the desires of our heart are to be exami∣ned and moderated.
CHAP. XII. Of the effect of Patience, and of strife against Concupiscence.
CHAP. XIII. Of the humble obedience of a subiect, according to the example of Christ.
CHAP. XIV. Of the secret Iudgements of God to be conside∣red, lest we be extolled in our good deeds.
CHAP. XV. What we ought to doe, and say in euery thing which we desire.
A prayer for the fulfilling of the will of God.
CHAP. XVI. That true comfort is to be sought in God alone.
CHAP. XVII. That all our care is to be placed in God.
CHAP. XVIII. That temporal miseries, by the example of Christ, are to be borne patiently.
CHAP. XIX. Of suffering of iniuries, and who is proued to be truely patient.
CHAP. XX. Of the acknowledging of our owne infirmity: and of the miseries of this life.
CHAP. XXI. That we are to rest in God aboue all his gifts.
CHAP. XXII. Of the remembrance of the manifold benefits of God.
CHAP. XXIII. Of foure things that bring much peace.
A prayer against euill thoughts.
A prayer for enlightning of the minde.
CHAP. XXIV. Of flying curious enquiry of the life of others.
CHAP. XXV. Wherein doth the firme peace of the heart, and true profit consist.
CHAP. XXVI. Of the excellency of a free minde, which humble prayer better deserueth, then reading.
CHAP. XXVII. That priuate loue most hindreth from the chiefest good.
A prayer for cleansing the heart, and obtaining of heauenly wisdome.
CHAP. XXVIII. Against the tongue of Slanderers.
CHAP. XXIX. How we ought to call vpon God, and blesse him, when tribulation draweth neere.
CHAP. XXX. Of crauing the diuine aide, and confidence of recouering grace.
CHAP. XXXI. Of the contempt of all creatures to find our Creator.
CHAP. XXXII. Of the deniall of our selues, and forsaking all our affections.
CHAP. XXXIII. Of inconstancy of heart, and of directing our small intentions vnto God.
CHAP. XXXIV. That God is sweete aboue all things, and in all things to him that loueth.
CHAP. XXXV. That there is no securitie from tempta∣tion in this life.
CHAP. XXXVI. Against the vaine Iudgements of men.
CHAP. XXXVII. Of a full and pure resignation of our selues for the obtaining freedome of heart.
CHAP. XXXVIII. Of good gouernment in outward things, and of recourse to God in dangers.
CHAP. XXXIX. That a man be not ouer earnest in his affaires.
CHAP. XL. That man hath no good of himselfe, nor any thing wherof he can glory.
CHAP. XLI. Of the contempt of all temporall honors.
CHAP. XLII. That our peace is not to be placed in men.
CHAP. XLIII. Against vaine and secular knowledge.
CHAP. XLIV. Of not drawing outward things to our selues.
CHAP. XLV. That credit is not to be giuen to all men: and how prone man is to offend in words.
CHAP. XLVI. Of putting our trust in God, when euil words arise
CHAP. XLVII. That all grieuous things are to be endured for life euerlasting.
CHAP. XLVIII. Of the euerlasting day, and shortnes of this life.
CHAP. XLIX. Of the desire of euerlasting life, & how great re∣wards are promised to those that fight valiantly.
CHAP. L. How a desolate person ought to offer himselfe into the hands of God.
CHAP. LI. That a man ought to imploy himselfe in the works of humilitie, when force is wanting for higher exercises.
CHAP. LII. That a man ought to esteeme himselfe vnworthy of comfort, and to haue deserued stripes.
CHAP. LIII. That the grace of God is not giuen to those that sauour of earthly things.
CHAP. LIV. Of the different motions of Nature and Grace.
CHAP. LV. Of the corruption of Nature, and efficacie of diuine Grace.
CHAP. LVI. That we ought to deny our selues, and imitate Christ, by the Crosse.
CHAP. LVII. That a man be not too much deiected, when he falleth into some defects.
CHAP. LVIII. Of not searching into high matters, and into the secret iudgements of God.
CHAP. LIX. That all our hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone.
OF THE FOL∣LOWING OF CHRIST. THE FOVRTH BOOKE. A deuout Exhortation vnto the blessed Sacrament. The voice of Christ.
CHAP. I. With how great reuerence Christ ought to be receiued.
CHAP. II. That great goodnes and charity of God is bestow∣ed vpon man in this Sacrament.
CHAP. III. That it is profitable to Communicate often.
CHAP. IV. That many benefits are bestowed vpon them that Communicate deuoutly.
CHAP. V. Of the dignitie of this Sacrament, and Priestly function.
CHAP. VI. An Interrogation of the exercise before Communion.
CHAP. VII. Of the discussing of our owne conscience, and purpose of amendment.
CHAP. VIII. Of the Oblation of Christ on the Crosse, and resig∣nation of our selues.
CHAP. IX. That we ought to offer vp our selues, and all that is ours vnto God, and to pray for all.
CHAP. X. That the holy Communion is not lightly to be forborne.
CHAP. XI. That the Body of Christ, and the holy Scrip∣ture are most necessary vnto a faithfull soule.
CHAP. XII. That he that is to Communicate, ought to pre∣pare himselfe with great diligence.
CHAP. XIII. That a deuout soule ought to desire with her whole heart to be vnited vnto Christ in the Sacrament.
CHAP. XIV. Of the feruent desire of some deuout persons to receiue the Body of Christ.
CHAP. XV. That the grace of deuotion is obtained by humili∣tie and deniall of our selues.
CHAP. XVI. That wee ought to manifest our necessities vnto Christ, and to craue his grace.
CHAP. XVII. Of burning loue and vehement desire to receiue Christ.
CHAP. XVIII. That a man be not a curious searcher of this Sa∣crament, but an humble follower of Christ, submitting his sense vnto faith.
HERE BEGIN∣NETH A GODLY TREA∣tise, and it is called a notable Lesson, otherwise it is called the Golden Epistle.
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A SPIRITVALL GLASSE.
THE RVLES OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE, made by IOHN PICVS the elder, Earle of Mi∣randula.
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