Page:Imitation-of-christ-1901.djvu/158

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Of the Way of Peace.

name; and what the world abhorred, they embraced with great affection.

5. When therefore a man loveth Thee and acknowledgeth Thy benefits, nothing ought so to rejoice him as Thy will toward him.

And herewith he ought to be so contented and comforted, that he would as willingly be the least, as another would wish to be the greatest.

He would too be as contented in the last place as in the first; as willing to be a despised castaway, of no name or character, as to be preferred in honour before others, and to be greater in the world than they.

For Thy will and the love of Thy glory ought to be preferred before all things, and to comfort him more, and to please him better, than all the benefits which either he hath received or may receive.

CHAPTER XXIII.

OF FOUR THINGS THAT BRING MUCH INWARD PEACE.

NOW will I teach thee, my son, the way of peace and of true liberty.


O Lord, I beseech Thee, do as Thou sayest, for this is delightful to me to hear.


Be desirous, My son, to do the will of another rather than thine own.