the imitation of christ(丼径児興)-及25嫗
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hand。 No wisdom profiteth�察 �if Thou leave off to guide the helm。 No
strength availeth�察�if Thou cease to preserve。 No purity is secure�察�if Thou
protect it not。 No self´keeping availeth�察 �if Thy holy watching be not
there。 For when we are left alone we are swallowed up and perish�察�but
when we are visited�察�we are raised up�察�and we live。 For indeed we are
unstable�察 �but are made strong through Thee�察 �we grow cold�察 �but are
rekindled by Thee。
3。 Oh�察�how humbly and abjectly must I reckon of myself�察�how must I
weigh it as nothing�察�if I seem to have nothing good� �Oh�察�how profoundly
ought I to submit myself to Thy unfathomable judgments�察�O Lord�察�when I
find myself nothing else save nothing�察 �and again nothing� �Oh weight
unmeasurable�察 �oh ocean which cannot be crossed over�察 �where I find
nothing of myself save nothing altogether� �Where�察 �then�察 �is the hiding´
place of glory�察�where the confidence begotten of virtue�拭 �All vain´glory is
swallowed up in the depths of Thy judgments against me。
4。 What is all flesh in Thy sight�拭 �For how shall the clay boast against
Him that fashioned it�殖�2�� How can he be lifted up in vain speech whose
heart is subjected in truth to God�拭 �The whole world shall not lift him up
whom Truth hath subdued�察�nor shall he be moved by the mouth of all who
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praise him�察 �who hath placed all his hope in God。 For they themselved
who speak�察 �behold�察 �they are all nothing�察 �for they shall cease with the
sound of their words�察�but the truth of the Lord endureth for ever。��3��
��1�� Job xv。 15。 ��2�� Psalm xxix。 16。 ��3�� Psalm cxvii。 2。
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CHAPTER 50
How we must stand and speak�察�in everything that we desire
;My Son�察�speak thou this in every matter�察�'Lord�察�if it please Thee�察�let
this come to pass。 Lord�察�if this shall be for Thine honour�察�let it be done in
Thy Name。 Lord�察 �if thou see it good for me�察 �and approve it as useful�察�
then grant me to use it for Thy honour。 But if thou knowest that it shall
be hurtful unto me�察�and not profitable for the health of my soul�察�take the
desire away from me'� �For not every desire is from the Holy Ghost�察�
although it appear to a man right and good。 It is difficult to judge with
certainty whether a good or an evil spirit move thee to desire this or that�察�
or whether thou art moved by thine own spirit。 Many have been
deceived at the last�察�who seemed at the beginning to be moved by a good
spirit。
2。 ;Therefore�察�whatsoever seemeth to thee desirable�察�thou must always
desire and seek after it with the fear of God and humility of heart�察 �and
most of all�察 �must altogether resign thyself�察 �and commit all unto Me and
say�察�'Lord�察�thou knowest what is best�察�let this or that be�察�according as Thou
wilt。 Give what Thou wilt�察�so much as Thou wilt�察�when Thou wilt。 Do
with me as Thou knowest best�察�and as best shall please Thee�察�and as shall
be most to Thine honour。 Place me where Thou wilt�察 �and freely work
Thy will with me in all things。 I am in Thine hand�察�and turn me in my
course。 Behold�察�I am Thy servant�察�ready for all things�察�for I desire to live
not to myself but to Thee。 Oh�察�that I might live worthily and perfectly。';
A PRAYER TO BE ENABLED TO DO GOD'S WILL
PERFECTLY
3。 Grant me Thy grace�察�most merciful Jesus�察�that it may be with me�察�
and work in me�察�and persevere with me�察�even unto the end。 Grant that I
may ever desire and wish whatsoever is most pleasing and dear unto Thee。
Let Thy will be mine�察 �and let my will alway follow Thine�察 �and entirely
accord with it。 May I choose and reject whatsoever Thou dost�察�yea�察�let it
be impossible for me to choose or reject except according to Thy will。
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4。 Grant that I may die to all worldly things�察�and for Thy sake love to
be despised and unknown in this world。 Grant unto me�察�above all things
that I can desire�察�to rest in Thee�察�and that in Thee my heart may be at peace。
Thou art the true peace of the heart�察�Thou alone its rest�察�apart from Thee
all things are hard and unquiet。 In Thee alone�察�the supreme and eternal
Good�察�I will lay me down in peace and take my rest。��1�� Amen。
��1�� Psalm iv。 9。
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CHAPTER 51
That true solace is to be sought in God alone
Whatsoever I am able to desire or to think of for my solace�察�I look for
it not here�察�but hereafter。 For if I alone had all the solaces of this world�察�
and were able to enjoy all its delights�察 �it is certain that they could not
endure long。 Wherefore�察�O my soul�察�thou canst be fully comforted and
perfectly refreshed�察�only in God�察�the Comforter of the poor�察�and the lifter
up of the humble。 Wait but a little while�察�my soul�察�wait for the Divine
promise�察�and thou shalt have abundance of all good things in heaven。 If
thou longest too inordinately for the things which are now�察�thou shalt lose
those which are eternal and heavenly。 Let temporal things be in the use�察�
eternal things in the desire。 Thou canst not be satisfied with any temporal
good�察�for thou wast not created for the enjoyment of these。
2。 Although thou hadst all the good things which ever were created�察�
yet couldst not thou be happy and blessed�察 �all thy blessedness and thy
felicity lieth in God who created all things�察 �not such felicity as seemeth
good to the foolish lover of the world�察 �but such as Christ's good and
faithful servants wait for�察�and as the spiritual and pure in heart sometimes
taste�察�whose conversation is in heaven。��1�� All human solace is empty and
short´lived�察�blessed and true is that solace which is felt inwardly�察�springing
from the truth。 The godly man everywhere beareth about with him his
own Comforter�察 �Jesus�察 �and saith unto Him�此 �Be with me�察 �Lord Jesus�察�
always and everywhere。 Let it be my comfort to be able to give up
cheerfully all human comfort。 And if Thy consolation fail me�察�let Thy will
and righteous approval be alway with me for the highest comfort。 For
Thou wilt not always be chiding�察 �neither keepest Thou Thine anger for
ever。;��2��
��1�� Philippians iii。 20。 ��2�� Psalm cii。 9。
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CHAPTER 52
That all care is to be cast upon God
;My Son�察 �suffer me to do with thee what I will�察 �I know what is
expedient for thee。 Thou thinkest as a man�察�in many things thou judgest
as human affection persuadeth thee。;
2。 Lord�察�what Thou sayest is true。 Greater is Thy care for