Of the Imitation of Christ/Book I/Chapter XXIV

by Thomas à Kempis

CHAPTER XXIV.

OF JUDGMENT AND THE PUNISHMENT OF SINNERS.

N all things remember thy end, and see how thou wilt be able to stand before that severe Judge from Whom nothing is hid, Who is not pacified with gifts, nor admitteth any excuse, but Who will judge according to right.

O wretched and foolish sinner, who sometimes fearest the countenance of an angry man, what answer wilt thou make to God Who knoweth all thy wickedness?

Why dost thou not provide for thyself against that great day, when no man can excuse or answer for another, but every one shall have to answer for himself?

Now thy pains may profit, thy tears be accepted, thy groans be heard, thy grief bring thee peace, and purge thy soul.

2. The patient man hath a great and wholesome purgatory, who though he receive injuries, yet grieveth more for the malice of another, than for his own suffering; who prayeth willingly for his adversaries, and from his heart forgiveth their offences.

He delayeth not to ask forgiveness of whomsoever he hath offended; he is sooner moved to compassion than to anger; he often offereth violence to himself, and laboureth to bring his body wholly into subjection to the spirit.

It is better to purge out our sins, and cut off our vices here, than to keep them to be punished hereafter.

Verily we do but deceive ourselves through an inordinate love of the flesh.

3. What else is there that the fire everlasting shall feed upon, but thy sins?

The more thou sparest thyself and followest the flesh now, the more severe shall be thy punishment hereafter, and thou storest up greater fuel for that flame.

In what things a man hath sinned, in the same shall he be the more grievously punished.

There shall the slothful be pricked forward with burning goads, and the glutton tormented with extreme hunger and thirst.

There shall the luxurious and lovers of pleasure be bathed in burning pitch and stinking brimstone, and the envious, like mad dogs, shall howl for very grief.

4. There is no sin but shall have its own proper torment.

There the proud shall be filled with all confusion; the covetous shall be pinched with miserable penury.

One hour of pain there shall be more bitter than a thousand years of the sharpest penance here!

There is no quiet, no comfort for the damned there; yet here we have some intermission of our labours, and enjoy the comfort of our friends.

Be solicitous and sorrowful now, because of thy sins, that thou mayest be secure with the blessed at the day of judgment.

For then shall the righteous stand with great boldness against those who have vexed and oppressed them.

Then shall He stand to judge them, Who doth now humbly submit Himself to the censures of men.

Then shall the poor and humble have great confidence, but the proud man shall be compassed with fear on every side.

5. Then will it appear that he was wise in this world, who had learned to be despised for Christ's sake.

Then shall every affliction patiently undergone delight us, when the mouth of all iniquity shall be stopped.

Then shall all the devout rejoice, and all the profane mourn.

Then shall the mortified flesh more rejoice than that which hath been pampered with all pleasures.

Then shall the poor attire shine gloriously, and the precious robes seem vile and contemptible.

Then the poor cottage shall be more commended than the gilded palace.

Then shall constant patience more avail us than all earthly power.

Then simple obedience shall be exalted above all worldly wisdom.

6. Then shall a good and clear conscience rejoice a man more than all the learning of philosophy.

Then shall the contempt of riches weigh more than all the world's treasure.

Then shalt thou be more comforted that thou hast prayed devoutly than that thou hast fared daintily.

Then shalt thou be more glad that thou hast kept silence than that thou hast spoken much.

Then shall good works avail more than many goodly words.

Then a strict life and severe repentance shall be more pleasing than all earthly delights.

Accustom thyself now to suffer a little, that thou mayest then be delivered from more grievous pains.

Prove first here what thou canst endure hereafter.

If now thou canst endure so little, how wilt thou then be able to support eternal torments?

If now a little suffering make thee so impatient, what will everlasting fire do hereafter?

Assure thyself thou canst not have two joys; it is impossible to take thy pleasure here in this world, and after that to reign with Christ?

7. Suppose that thou hadst up to this day lived always in honours and delights, what would it all avail thee if thou wert doomed to die at this instant?

All therefore is vanity, except to love God and serve Him only.

For he that loveth God with all his heart is neither afraid of death, nor of punishment, nor of judgment, nor of hell; for perfect love gives secure access to God.

But he that takes delight in sin, what marvel is it if he be afraid both of death and judgment?

Yet it is good, although love be not yet of force to withhold thee from sin, that at least the fear of hell should restrain thee.

But he that layeth aside the fear of God, can never continue long in good estate, but falleth quickly into the snares of the devil.