LIX. That all our Hope and Confidence is to be fixt in GOD

alone

364

367

A Devout Exhortation to the Holy Communion

CHAP. I. With how great Reverence Chrift is to be receiv

ed

369

II. Of the great Goodness and Love of GOD exhibited to

Man in the Sacrament

III. The Benefit of frequent Communion

377

381-

IV. That many Benefits are reached out, and made good

to the devout Communicant

385

V. Of the Dignity of the Sacrament, and of the Priestly

Function

389

VI. A Question touching a preparatory Exercife before the

Sacrament

392

VII. Of the Searching of our own Confcience, and Pur-

pofe of Amendment

393

Vilí. of the Oblation of Chrift upon the Cross, and Re-

fignation of our felves

399

397

IX. That we ought to offer up our felves and all that is

ours, to GOD; and to pray for all Men

X. That the Holy Communion is not lightly to be forborn 403

XI. That the Body of Chrift, and the Holy Scriptures, are

abfolutely Neceffary to the Faithful Soul

408

XII. That he who intends to communicate ought with great

Diligence to prepare himself for Christ
414

XIII. That the devout Soul ought, with all its Powers, to

defire Union with Chrift in the Sacrament

XIV. Of the vehement Longing of fome devout People for

the Body of Chrift

417

420

XV. That the Grace of Devotion is obtained by Humility,

and Self-denial

422

425

427

XVI. That we ought to lay open our Neceffities to Chrift,

and to implore his Grace

XVII. of the ardent Love, and moft paffionate Defire of

the devout Soul to receive Chrift

XVIII. That a Man ought not nicely and curiously to ex-

amine and fearch into the Mystery of the Sacrament ;

but humbly to imitate Chrift, fubmitting his Senfe to

Faith

431

Of

Of the Three Tabernacles

TABERNACLE I.

Page 439

CHAP. I. Of the manifold Probation and Tryal of the E-

lect
Page 436

II. Of the Three Tabernacles of Chrift, Mofes and Elias:

Or of the Three Virtues, Humility, Patience and Po-

verty

440

442

III. A Commendation of religious Poverty

IV. A further Commendation of Poverty from the Exam-

ple of Chrift

448

V. The Relation and Connexion that is between Poverty

and Humility

453

VI. The Confolation of Poverty

459

TABERNACLE II.

Page 463

CHAP. I. Of the Leffons and Examples of Humility deli-

vered by Chrift

II. Of the Manners and Actions of the truly Humble: Al-

fo of the Marks and Properties of the Proud

TABERNACLE III

469

CHAP. I. Of the Neceffity of Patience amidst the numerous

Miferies of this Life

Page 484

II. of the Confolation of a Soul afflicted and groaning un-

der Tribulation

489

III. An Exhortation to Patience, from the Words and Ex-

ample of Jefus Chrift, and the Patriarchs

495

IV. Patience principally to be exercised in Mortifying our

own Will

501

V. Of the Examples of the Prophets and Martyrs, by which

Patience is taught
503

VI. Patience is recommended from the Confideration of Pro-

fit, by a Comparison of the Momentarinefs of the Pain,

and the Eternity of the Reward

507

A Prayer by Thomas à Kempis, to be used either before,

or after the Sacrament

512

THE

I.

THE

PRACTICAL METHOD

Of the FOUR BOOKS of the

Imitation of Chrift:

Wherein is fhewn the Scope, the Order, and Progrefs of the Spiritual Life, obferv'd by the Author in these Books.

The ECONOMY, or general Difpofition of the Four Books of the Imitation of CHRIST.

A

MONGST the Afcetick Writers, that have laid down rules for chriftian perfection, the religious and devout Thomas à Kempis, Canon Regular of the Order of St. Austin, hath undoubtedly, and by confent of all, carty'd

B

ry'd away the prize, in the Books left behind him, intituled, Of the Imitation of Christ.

Nevertheless fome have complain'd that they can find no order or method in thefe Books; not fo much that it is really wanting in them, as that it escapes the notice and obfervation of ordinary readers.

Hereupon a certain perfon had a fancy to try, if he could not in fome fort delineate in words the fecret method or plan of this piece; which, behold, we here -prefent to you.

Obferve therefore that the Imitation of Chrift is here practically deliver'd; which manner of inftruction he beft understands, who best practises what he reads.

And indeed our THOMAS feems in this work to have followed a natural, and neceffary method, in beginning with the first and more imperfect degree of the Imitation of Chriff, and afcending by little and little, even to the highest and most accomplifh'd, in fuch exact order, that he that would take any other way, feems not like to arrive fo eafily and commodiously at his journey's end.

He treats at firft of the PURGATIVE LIFE, which is the beginning, and foun

dation as it were, of Perfection: Wherein he introduces a Master or Father-director. of the Spiritual Life; becaufe this life is not fo high advanc'd, as to feem to stand in need of the immediate inftructions of GOD; and the Scholar is fo ignorant of fpiritual things, that it is fitter for him to hear and hearken to a Mafter, than to discourse, or interrogate.

The ILLUMINATIVE WAY Contains the whole body of doctrine relating to the Spiritual Life; wherefore God is with good reafon introduc'd talking with Man, because therein are deliver'd leffons worthy of GOD; a method which few authors (excepting the holy penmen) have well acquitted themselves in; namely, to introduce GOD fpeaking things worthy of the Deity.

The difciple having now made a good progrefs, does not only lend an ear to the documents or inftructions of GOD, but fets himself alfo to the practice of them; wherein meeting oftentimes with great temptations and difficulties, he has recourfe to GOD, fometimes for grace and divine aid; fometimes for pardon and counsel.

In the UNITIVE WAY, the Soul is united to God; which is chiefly effected by the partis

B 2