| INTRODUCTORY NOTE |
THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
|
| THE FIRST BOOK ADMONITIONS PROFITABLE FOR THE SPIRITUAL LIFE |
| CHAPTER I Of the imitation of Christ, and of contempt of the world and all its vanities |
| CHAPTER II Of thinking humbly of oneself |
| CHAPTER III Of the knowledge of truth |
| CHAPTER IV Of prudence in action |
| CHAPTER V Of the reading of Holy Scriptures |
| CHAPTER VI Of inordinate affections |
| CHAPTER VII Of fleeing from vain hope and pride |
| CHAPTER VIII Of the danger of too much familiarity |
| CHAPTER IX Of Obedience and Subjection |
| CHAPTER X Of the danger of superfluity of words |
| CHAPTER XI Of seeking peace of mind and of spiritual progress |
| CHAPTER XII Of the uses of adversity |
| CHAPTER XIII Of resisting temptation |
| CHAPTER XIV On avoiding rash judgment |
| CHAPTER XV Of works of charity |
| CHAPTER XVI Of bearing with the faults of others |
| CHAPTER XVII Of a Religious life |
| CHAPTER XVIII Of the example of the holy fathers |
| CHAPTER XIX Of the exercises of a religious man |
| CHAPTER XX Of the love of solitude and silence |
| CHAPTER XXI Of compunction of heart |
| CHAPTER XXII On the contemplation of human misery |
| CHAPTER XXIII Of meditation upon death |
| CHAPTER XXIV Of the judgment and punishment of the wicked |
CHAPTER XXV Of the zealous amendment of our whole life
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| THE SECOND BOOK ADMONITIONS CONCERNING THE INNER LIFE |
| CHAPTER I Of the inward life |
| CHAPTER II Of lowly submission |
| CHAPTER III Of the good, peaceable man |
| CHAPTER IV Of a pure mind and simple intention |
| CHAPTER V Of self-esteem |
| CHAPTER VI Of the joy of a good conscience |
| CHAPTER VII Of loving Jesus above all things |
| CHAPTER VIII Of the intimate love of Jesus |
| CHAPTER IX Of the lack of all comfort |
| CHAPTER X Of gratitude for the Grace of God |
| CHAPTER XI Of the fewness of those who love the Cross of Jesus |
CHAPTER XII Of the royal way of the Holy Cross
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| THE THIRD BOOK ON INWARD CONSOLATION |
| CHAPTER I Of the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul |
| CHAPTER II What the truth saith inwardly without noise of words |
| CHAPTER III How all the words of God are to be heard with humility, and how many consider them not |
| CHAPTER IV How we must walk in truth and humility before God |
| CHAPTER V Of the wonderful power of the Divine Love |
| CHAPTER VI Of the proving of the true lover |
| CHAPTER VII Of hiding our grace under the guard of humility |
| CHAPTER VIII Of a low estimation of self in the sight of God |
| CHAPTER IX That all things are to be referred to God, as the final end |
| CHAPTER X That it is sweet to despise the world and to serve God |
| CHAPTER XI That the desires of the heart are to be examined and governed |
| CHAPTER XII Of the inward growth of patience, and of the struggle against evil desires |
| CHAPTER XIII Of the obedience of one in lowly subjection after the example of Jesus Christ |
| CHAPTER XIV Of meditation upon the hidden judgments of God, that we may not be lifted up because of our well-doing |
| CHAPTER XV How we must stand and speak, in everything that we desire |
| CHAPTER XVI That true solace is to be sought in God alone |
| CHAPTER XVII That all care is to be cast upon God |
| CHAPTER XVIII That temporal miseries are to be borne patiently after the example of Christ |
| CHAPTER XIX Of bearing injuries, and who shall be approved as truly patient |
| CHAPTER XX Of confession of our infirmity and of the miseries of this life |
| CHAPTER XXI That we must rest in God above all goods and gifts |
| CHAPTER XXII Of the recollection of God’s manifold benefits |
| CHAPTER XXIII Of four things which bring great peace |
| CHAPTER XXIV Of avoiding of curious inquiry into the life of another |
| CHAPTER XXV Wherein firm peace of heart and true profit consist |
| CHAPTER XXVI Of the exaltation of a free spirit, which humble prayer more deserveth than doth frequent reading |
| CHAPTER XXVII That personal love greatly hindereth from the highest good |
| CHAPTER XXVIII Against the tongues of detractors |
| CHAPTER XXIX How when tribulation cometh we must call upon and bless God |
| CHAPTER XXX Of seeking divine help, and the confidence of obtaining grace |
| CHAPTER XXXI Of the neglect of every creature, that the Creator may be found |
| CHAPTER XXXII Of self-denial and the casting away all selfishness |
| CHAPTER XXXIII Of instability of the heart, and of directing the aim towards God |
| CHAPTER XXXIV That to him who loveth God is sweet above all things and in all things |
| CHAPTER XXXV That there is no security against temptation in this life |
| CHAPTER XXXVI Against vain judgments of men |
| CHAPTER XXXVII Of pure and entire resignation of self, for the obtaining liberty of heart |
| CHAPTER XXXVIII Of a good government in external things, and of having recourse to God in dangers |
| CHAPTER XXXIX That man must not be immersed in business |
| CHAPTER XL That man hath no good in himself, and nothing whereof to glory |
| CHAPTER XLI Of contempt of all temporal honour |
| CHAPTER XLII That our peace is not to be placed in men |
| CHAPTER XLIII Against vain and worldly knowledge |
| CHAPTER XLIV Of not troubling ourselves about outward things |
| CHAPTER XLV That we must not believe everyone, and that we are prone to fall in our words |
| CHAPTER XLVI Of having confidence in God when evil words are cast at us |
| CHAPTER XLVII That all troubles are to be endured for the sake of eternal life |
| CHAPTER XLVIII Of the day of eternity and of the straitnesses of this life |
| CHAPTER XLIX Of the desire after eternal life, and how great blessings are promised to those who strive |
| CHAPTER L How a desolate man ought to commit himself into the hands of God |
| CHAPTER LI That we must give ourselves to humble works when we are unequal to those that are lofty |
| CHAPTER LII That a man ought not to reckon himself worthy of consolation, but more worthy of chastisement |
| CHAPTER LIII That the Grace of God doth not join itself to those who mind earthly things |
| CHAPTER LIV Of the diverse motions of Nature and of Grace |
| CHAPTER LV Of the corruption of Nature and the efficacy of Divine Grace |
| CHAPTER LVI That we ought to deny ourselves, and to imitate Christ by means of the Cross |
| CHAPTER LVII That a man must not be too much cast down when he falleth into some faults |
| CHAPTER LVIII Of deeper matters, and God’s hidden judgments which are not to be inquired into |
CHAPTER LIX That all hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone
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| THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR |
| CHAPTER I With how great reverence Christ must be received |
| CHAPTER II That the greatness and charity of God is shown to men in the Sacrament |
| CHAPTER III That it is profitable to Communicate often |
| CHAPTER IV That many good gifts are bestowed upon those who Communicate devoutly |
| CHAPTER V Of the dignity of this Sacrament, and of the office of the priest |
| CHAPTER VI An inquiry concerning preparation for Communion |
| CHAPTER VII Of the examination of conscience, and purpose of amendment |
| CHAPTER VIII Of the oblation of Christ upon the cross, and of resignation of self |
| CHAPTER IX That we ought to offer ourselves and all that is ours to God, and to pray for all |
| CHAPTER X That Holy Communion is not lightly to be omitted |
| CHAPTER XI That the Body and Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures are most necessary to a faithful soul |
| CHAPTER XII That he who is about to Communicate with Christ ought to prepare himself with great diligence |
| CHAPTER XIII That the devout soul ought with the whole heart to yearn after union with Christ in the Sacrament |
| CHAPTER XIV Of the fervent desire of certain devout persons to receive the Body and Blood of Christ |
| CHAPTER XV That the grace of devotion is acquired by humility and self-denial |
| CHAPTER XVI That we ought to lay open our necessities to Christ and to require His Grace |
| CHAPTER XVII Of fervent love and vehement desire of receiving Christ |
| 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 |