Chapter 56. That we ought to deny ourselves, and to imitate Christ by mean... (Book 3. On Inward Consolation as a Gift of God) (The Imitation of Christ) (a-Kempis, Thomas)

1. My Son, so far as you are able to go out of yourself so far will you be able to enter into Me. As to desire no outward thing works internal peace, so the forsaking of self inwardly joins to God. I will that you learn perfect self-denial, living in My will without contradiction or complaint. Follow Me: I am the way, the truth, and the life. Without the way you can not go, without the truth you can not know, without the life you can not live. I am the Way which you ought to follow; the Truth which you ought to believe; the Life which you ought to hope for. I am the Way unchangeable; the Truth infallible; the Life everlasting. I am the Way altogether straight, the Truth supreme, the true Life, the blessed Life, the uncreated Life. If you remain in My way you will know the Truth, and the truth shall make you free, and you will lay hold on eternal life.

2. "If you will enter into life, keep the commandments. If you will know the truth, believe in Me. If you will be perfect, sell all that you have. If you will be My disciple, deny yourself. If you would possess the blessed life, despise the life which now is. If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself in the world. If you will reign with Me, bear the cross with Me; for only the servants of the cross find the way of blessedness and of true light."

3. O Lord Jesu, forasmuch as Your life was straitened and despised by the world, grant to me to imitate You in despising the world, for the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the disciple above his master. Let Your servant be exercised in Your life, because there is my salvation and true holiness. Whatsoever I read or hear besides it, it refreshes me not, nor gives me delight.

4. "My son, because you know these things and have read them all, blessed will you be if you do them. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him, and I will make him to sit down with Me in My Father's Kingdom."

5. O Lord Jesu, as You have said and promised, even so let it be to me, and grant me to prove worthy. I have received the cross at Your hand; I have carried it, and will carry it even to death, as You have laid it upon me. Truly the life of a truly devoted servant is a cross, but it leads to paradise. I have begun; I may not return back nor leave it.

6. Come, my brothers, let us together go forward. Jesus shall be with us. For Jesus' sake have we taken up this cross, for Jesus' sake let us persevere in the cross. He will be our helper, who was our Captain and Forerunner. Behold our King enters in before us, and He will fight for us. Let us follow bravely, let no man fear terrors; let us be prepared to die bravely in battle, and let us not so stain our honour, as to fly from the cross.

John xiv. 6. John viii. 32. Matthew xix. 17, 21. Matthew x. 24. John xiv. 21. 1 Mac. ix. 10.