Of the Imitation of Christ/Book II/Chapter VI
CHAPTER VI.
OF THE JOY OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE.
HE glory of a good man, is the testimony of a good conscience.
Have a good conscience, and thou shalt ever have joy.
A good conscience is able to bear very much, and is very cheerful in adversities.
An evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet.
Thou shalt rest sweetly, if thy heart do not condemn thee.
Never rejoice, but when thou hast done well.
Sinners have never true joy, nor feel inward peace; because "There is no peace to the wicked," saith the Lord.
And if they should say, "We are in peace, no evil shall fall upon us, and who shall dare to hurt us?" believe them not; for upon a sudden will arise the wrath of God, and their deeds shall be brought to nought, and their thought shall perish.
2. To glory in tribulation, is no hard thing for him that loveth; for so to glory, is to glory in the Cross of the Lord.
That glory is short, which is given and received from men.
Sorrow always accompanieth the world's glory.
The glory of the good is in their consciences, and not in the tongues of men. The gladness of the just is of God, and in God: and their joy is of the truth.
He that desireth true and everlasting glory, careth not for that which is temporal.
And he that seeketh temporal glory, or despiseth it not from his soul, sheweth himself to have but little esteem of the glory of heaven.
He enjoyeth great tranquillity of heart, that careth neither for the praise, nor dispraise of men.
3. He will easily be content and at peace, whose conscience is pure.
Thou art not the more holy though thou be praised; nor the more worthless for being dispraised.
What thou art, that thou art; neither by words canst thou be made greater than what thou art in the sight of God.
If thou consider what thou art in thyself, thou wilt not care what men talk of thee.
Man looketh on the countenance, but God on the heart. Man considereth the deeds, but God weigheth the intentions.
To be always doing good, and to esteem little of one's self, is the sign of an humble soul.
To be unwilling to be comforted by any creature, is a sign of great purity and inward confidence.
4. He that seeketh no witness for his behalf from without, doth shew that he hath wholly committed himself unto God.
"For not he that commendeth himself is approved (saith Saint Paul), but whom God commendeth."
To walk in the heart with God, and not to be held in bondage by any outward affection, is the state of a spiritual man.