Kempis Delphi Complete Works of Thomas à Kempis Illustrated

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-80170-302-4
Verlag: Delphi Publishing Ltd
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 2595 Seiten

Reihe: Medieval Library

The late medieval theologian Thomas à Kempis is the probable author of 'The Imitation of Christ', a handbook for spiritual life arising from the 'Devotio Moderna' movement. Composed in Latin, it is divided into four books of detailed spiritual instructions, emphasising the importance of the interior life and withdrawal from the mundanities of the world, as opposed to the active imitation of Christ practised by other friars. This landmark text is perhaps the most widely read Christian devotional work after the Bible, being regarded by many as a masterpiece of late medieval Europe. Delphi's Medieval Library provides eReaders with rare and precious works of the Middle Ages, with noted English translations and the original texts. This eBook presents Thomas à Kempis' complete works, with illustrations, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1)

* Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Thomas' life and works
* Features the complete extant works of Thomas in English translation
* Rare translations digitised here for the first time
* The original Latin text of 'The Imitation of Christ'
* Multiple translations of 'The Imitation of Christ'
* Concise introduction to the author and his work
* Excellent formatting of the texts
* Easily locate the sections you want to read with individual contents tables
* Provides a special dual English and Latin text of 'The Imitation of Christ', allowing readers to compare the sections paragraph by paragraph - ideal for students
* Features two bonus biographies - discover Thomas' medieval world

CONTENTS:

The Translations
The Imitation of Christ (tr. Richard Challoner, 1819 and William Benham, 1905)
The Chronicle of the Canons Regular of Mount St. Agnes (tr. J. P. Arthur, 1906)
The Life of St. Lidwina (tr. Dom Vincent Scully, 1912)
The Little Garden of Roses (Anonymous 1891 translation)
The Valley of Lilies (Anonymous 1891 translation)
The Lives of Gerard Groote, Florentius Radewin and Their Followers (tr. J. P. Arthur, 1905)
Prayers and Meditations on the Life of Christ (tr. William Duthoit, 1908)
A Meditation on the Incarnation of Christ (tr. Dom Vincent Scully, 1907)
Sermons of the Life and Passion of Our Lord (tr. Dom Vincent Scully, 1907)
Of Hearing and Speaking Good Words (tr. Dom Vincent Scully, 1907)
Sermons to the Novices Regular (tr. Dom Vincent Scully, 1907)

The Original Text
The Imitation of Christ (Latin)

The Dual Text
The Imitation of Christ (Latin and English Text)

The Biographies
Thomas à Kempis (1911) by Thomas Martin Lindsay
Thomas à Kempis (1913) by Vincent Joseph Henry Scully

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kempis, Thomas À

Leseproben

Chap. XII. Of the king’s highway of the holy cross.

1. TO MANY this seems a hard saying: Deny thyself, take up thy cross and follow Jesus. Matthew xvi.

But it will be much harder to hear that last word: Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire. Matthew xxv.

For they that at present willingly hear and follow the word of the cross, shall not then be afraid of eternal condemnation.

The sign of the cross will be in heaven, when the Lord shall come to judge.

Then all the servants of the cross, who in their life time have conformed themselves to him that was crucified, shall come to Christ their judge with great confidence.

2. Why then art thou afraid to take up thy cross, which leads to a kingdom?

In the cross is salvation: in the cross is life: in the cross is protection from thy enemies.

In the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness: in the cross is strength of mind: in the cross is joy of spirit.

In the cross is the height of virtue: in the cross is the perfection of sanctity.

There is no health of the soul, nor hope of eternal life, but in the cross.

Take up therefore thy cross and follow Jesus, and thou shalt go into life everlasting.

He is gone before thee, carrying his cross: and he died for thee upon the cross: that thou mayest also bear thy cross, and love to die on the cross.

Because, if thou die with him, thou shalt also live with him; and if thou art his companion in buffering, thou shalt also partake in his glory.

3. Behold the cross is all, and in dying [to thyself] all consists: and there is no other way to life, and to true internal peace, but the way of the holy cross, and of daily mortification.

Go where thou wilt, seek what thou wilt, and thou shalt not find a higher way above, nor a safer way below, than the way of the holy cross.

Dispose and order all things according as thou wilt; and as seems best to thee; and thou shalt still find something to suffer, either willingly or unwillingly, and so thou shalt still find the cross.

For either thou shalt feel pain in the body, or sustain in thy soul tribulation of spirit.

4. Sometimes thou shalt be left by God, other times thou shalt be afflicted by thy neighbour: and what is more, thou shalt often be a trouble to thyself.

Neither canst thou be delivered or eased by any remedy or comfort, but as long as it shall please God, thou must bear it.

For God would have thee learn to suffer tribulation without comfort, and wholly to submit thyself to him, and to become more humble by tribulation.

No man hath so lively a feeling of the passion of Christ, as he who hath happened to suffer such like things.

The cross therefore is always ready, and every where waits for thee.

Thou canst not escape it, whithersoever thou runnest: for whithersoever thou goest, thou carriest thyself with thee, and shall always find thyself.

Turn thyself upwards, or turn thyself downwards: turn thyself without, or turn thyself within thee: and every where thou shalt find the cross.

And every where thou must of necessity have patience if thou desirest inward peace, and wouldst merit an eternal crown.

5. If thou carry the cross willingly, it will carry thee, and bring thee to thy desired end; to wit, to that place where there will be an end of suffering, tho’ here there will be none.

If thou carry it unwillingly, thou makest it a burden to thee, and loadest thyself the more: and nevertheless thou must bear it.

If thou fling away one cross, without doubt thou wilt find another, and perhaps a heavier.

6. Dost thou think to escape that which no mortal could ever avoid? What saint was there ever in the world without his cross and affliction?

Our Lord Jesus Christ himself was not one hour of his life without suffering: It behoved, saith he, that Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory. Luke xxiv.

And how dost thou pretend to seek another way than the royal way, which is the way of the holy cross.

7. The whole life of Christ was a cross, and a martyrdom: and dost thou seek rest and joy?

Thou errest, thou errest, if thou seekest any other thing than to suffer tribulations: for this whole mortal life is full of miseries, and beset on all sides with crosses.

And the higher a person is advanced in spirit, the heavier crosses shall he often meet with: because the pain of his banishment increases in proportion to his love.

8. Yet this man, thus many ways afflicted, is not without some allay of comfort for his ease: because he is sensible of the great profit which he reaps by bearing the cross.

For whilst he willingly resigns himself to it, all the burden of tribulation is converted into an assured hope of comfort from God.

And the more the flesh is brought down by affliction, the more the spirit is strengthened by inward grace.

And sometimes gains such force through affection to tribulation and adversity, by reason of loving to be conformable to the cross of Christ, as not to be willing to be without suffering and affliction: because such a one believes himself by so much the more acceptable to God, as he shall be able to bear more and greater things for him.

This is not man’s power, but the grace of Christ, which can and does effect such great things in frail flesh, that what it naturally abhors and flies, even this through fervour of spirit it now embraces and loves.

9. It is not according to man’s natural inclination to bear the cross, to love the cross, to chastise the body, and bring it under subjection; to fly honours, to be willing to suffer reproaches, to despise one’s self, and wish to be despised; to bear all adversities and losses, and to desire no prosperity in this world.

If thou lookest upon thyself, thou canst do nothing of this of thyself.

But if thou confidest in the Lord, strength will be given thee from heaven, and the world and flesh shall be made subject to thee.

Neither shalt thou fear thine enemy the devil, if thou art armed with faith and signed with the cross of Christ.

10. Set thyself then like a good and faithful servant of Christ to bear manfully the cross of thy Lord, crucified for the love of thee.

Prepare thyself to suffer many adversities, and divers evils in this miserable life; for so it will be with thee, wherever thou art: and so indeed wilt thou find it, wheresoever thou hide thyself.

It must be so, and there is no remedy against tribulation and sorrow, but to bear them patiently.

Drink of the Chalice of the Lord lovingly, if thou desirest to be his friend, and to have part with him.

Leave consolations to God, to do with them as best pleaseth him.

But set thou thyself to bear tribulations, and account them the greatest consolations: for the sufferings of this life bear no proportion with the glory to come, although thou alone couldst suffer them all.

11. When thou shalt arrive thus far, that tribulation becomes sweet and savory to thee for the love of Christ: then think that it is well with thee, for thou hast found a paradise upon earth.

As long as suffering seems grievous to thee, and thou seekest to fly from if, so long will it be ill with thee, and the tribulation from which thou fliest will every where follow thee.

12. If thou set thyself to what thou oughtest; that is, to suffer and to die [to thyself], it will quickly be better with thee, and thou shalt find peace.

Although thou shouldst have been wrapped up to the third heaven with St. Paul, thou art not thereby secured that thou shalt suffer no adversity. I (said Jesus) will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name. Acts ix.

To suffer, therefore, is what waits for thee, if thou wilt love Jesus, and constantly serve him.

13. Would to God thou wert worthy to suffer something for the name of Jesus! how great a glory would be laid up for thee, how great joy would it be to all the saints of God, and how great edification to thy neighbour!

All recommend patience; but, alas! how few are there that desire to suffer!

With good reason oughtest thou willingly to suffer a little for Christ, since many suffer greater things for the world.

14. Know for certain that thou must lead a dying life; and the more a man dies to himself, the more he begins to live to God.

No man is fit to comprehend heavenly things, who has not resigned himself to suffer adversities for Christ.

Nothing is more acceptable to God, nothing more wholesome for thee in this world, than to suffer willingly for Christ.

And if thou wert to chuse, thou oughtest to wish rather to suffer adversities for Christ, than to be delighted with many comforts: because thus wouldst thou be more like to Christ, and more conformable to all the saints.

For our merit and the advancement of our state, consists not in having many gusts and consolations: but rather in bearing great afflictions and tribulations.

15. If, indeed, there had been any thing better, and more beneficial to man’s salvation, than suffering, Christ certainly would have shewed it by word and example.

For he manifestly exhorts both his disciples that followed him, and all that desire to follow him, to bear the cross, saying: If any one will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Luke ix. So that when we have read and searched all, let this be the final conclusion, that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. Acts xix.

[USCCB: Acts xiv....