PRINCETON, N. J. Shelf BV 4821 .Al 1892 Thomas, 1380-1471. Meditations on the life of Christ MEDITATIONS ON THE LIFE OF CHRIST. MEDITATIONS LIFE OF CHRIST Thomas a kempis TRANSLATKD AND KDITED BY THE VEN. ARCHDEACON ^A/RIGHT, M.A. RECTOR OF GREATHAM, HANTS AND THE REV. S. KETTLE\A/^ELL. M.A. LATE VICAR OF ST. MAKK's VVOODHOUSE, LEEDS WITH A PREFACE BY THE LATTER E} (J fijUt 6(5of KoX 7j d?ir/0eta koI t] (dtj " oi'delc ipxerai ~pui rbt narepa, si fifi iW ifiov. — St. John xiv. 6. NEW YORK E. P. DUTTOX & COMPANY 31 West 23d Street 1892 Copyright, E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY, 1802. SDctiicatcti TO THE MOST REVEREND HIS GRACE THE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, D.D. Primatf of all (Knglanfl, WITH PROFOUND RESPECT AND DUTIFUL OBEDIENCE IN CHRIST. CONTENTS. Preface iii-liii PART I. FROM THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST TO HIS PASSION. CHAPTER PAOB I. A Meditation or Prayer calling on us to praise God for His Excellent Greatness 5 II. On the Creation of the First Man, and His Miserable Fall 9 in. On the Recovery of Man, and the Prom- ise of Christ's Advent 11 IV. On the Redemption of the Human Race through the Mystery of the Incarnate Word 12 V. On the Nativity and Poverty of Jesus . . 16 VI. On the Trials and Wants of Jesus in Poverty 18 VII. On the Cries of the Infant Jesus 20 Vin. On the Nurture of the Infant Jesus 22 EX. On the Painful Circumcision of the In- nocent Jesus 23 05) Contents. CHAPTER PAOK X. On tlie (jiving the Most Sweet and Sav- ing Name of Jesus 25 XI. On the Manifestation of Jesus, and the Devout Offerings of the Holy Kings . . 27 XII. On the Purification of the Blessed Mary, and on the Presentation of the Child Jesus 31 Xm. On the Persecution of Jesus, and the Flight into Egj^it 33 XrV. On the Holy Innocents, Slain by Herod for the Name of Jesus 35 XV. On the Finding Jesus in the Temple ... 37 XVI. On the Holy and Hidden Life of tlie Lowly Jesus 38 XVII. On the Baptism of Jesus, and Our Sanc- tification in Water 40 XVill. On the Fasting and Temptations of the Invincible Jesus 42 XrX. On the Holy Preaching and Salutary Doctrine of Jesus 44 XX. On the Glorious Miracles and Benevo- lence of Jesus 46 XXI. On the Example and Holy Conversation of Jesus, and on His Tribulation in the World 49 XXH. On the Feast of Palms, and the Lowly Riding of Jesus into Jerusalem 51 XXIII. On the Lord's Supper, in which Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of His Most Precious Body and Blood 55 XXrV. On the Washing the Feet of the Disci- ples, and the Holy Discoui-se of Jesus at Supper 57 (6) Cnntent.s PART 11. ON THE PASSION OF CHRIST UNTIL HIS RESURRECTION, ACCORDING TO THE FOUR EVANGELISTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. On the Selling of Jesus by the Perfidious Traitor Judas 65 II. On the Sorrow and Dread of Jesus borne for us 66 III. On the Threefold Prayer of Jesus; on the Bloody Sweat; on the Angelic Comforting; and on Renouncing His OAvn Will 68 IV. On tlie Voluntary Going Forth of Jesus to His Passion, and His Great Meek- ness in the Hour of His Betrayal .... 70 V. On the Apprehension, the Binding, and the Leatling Away of Jesus to Annas the High Priest 73 VI. On the Lea\-ing Jesus in the Hands of His Enemies, and on the Flight of the Disciples 77 VII. On the Bringing Jesus before Annas, and on the Smiting Him on the Right Cheek 81 Vni. On the Three Denials of Christ by Peter, and His Bitter Weeping, when Jesus looked upon Him 83 IX. On the Leading Away of Jesus to Caia- phas, the High Priest, and His False Accusation 86 (7) Contents. CHAPTBR PAGE X. How Jesus was Mocked, Spit upon, Blind-folded, Smitten on the Cheek, and Buffeted 89 XI. On the Bringing of Jesus bound before Pilate the Governor 93 XII. On the Derision of Jesus by Herod and His Soldiers 96 XIII. Of the Wicked Clamor of the Jews, " Crucify Him ! Crucify Him ! " 98 XIV. On the Stripping and Scourging of Jesus 103 XV. On the Stripping, Mocking, Crowning, and Smiting of the Head of Jesus .... 106 XVI. On the Unjust Condemnation of Jesus to the Death of the Cross 115 XVn. On Jesus carrying the Cross, and being led to the Place called Calvary 118 XVin. On the Crucifixion of Jesus, and on His Hanging High and Long on the Cross 127 XIX. On the Wounds of Jesus, and the Shed- ding His Precious Blood 136 XX. On the Tender Pleading of Jesus for His Enemies 140 XXI. On the Stripping off and DiAading the Garments of Jesus 145 XXII. On the Revilings of the Jews, and the Mighty Perseverance of Jesus on the Cross 150 XXIII. On the Words spoken to the Thief on the Cross 156 XXIV. On the Remarkable Superscription of the Name of Jesus, placed over His Head 163 XXV. On the Compassion of Thy Sorrowing Mother, and the Mutual Commending of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John 168 ('ontents. CHAPTER PAOB XXVI. On the Loud Cry of Jesus on the Cross : Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani 174 XXVIL On the Thirst of Jesus on tlie Cross, and on His Bitter Cup 180 XXVIIL On the Word of Consummation pro- nounced by the Mouth of Jesus 184 XXIX. On the Solemn Death and Expiring of Jesus, and His Last Words from the Cross 190 XXX. On the Victorious Death of Jesus our Redeemer 204 XXXI. On the Cruel Piercing of the Holy Side of Jesus Christ 209 XXXII. On the Taking Down of Christ from the Cross 216 XXXIII. On the Reverend Burial of Jesus Christ. 219 PART III. ON THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND HIS SEVERAL APPEARANCES. I. On the most victorious Triumph of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross over Death ; and on His most joj-f ul Resur- rection from the Sepulchre 229 II. On the devout visiting of the Holy Sepul- chre of the Lord Jesu Christ 238 ni. On the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene in the form of a Gardener 247 IV. On the exemplary Graces and Privileges of the blessed Mary Magdalene 257 V. On the gi'eat Compunction of Mary Mag- dalene in the Passion of the Lord .... 262 (9^ Confenfs. CHAPTER PAOK VI. On the Appearance of Christ to St. Peter in secret, and on Rt. Peter's running with St. John 267 VII. A Prayer to obtain from God the Grace of Tears 272 VIII. On the Advantage and Grace of holy Tears 276 IX. On the Tears of Jesus over Lazarus 277 On the Tears of Jesus over Jerusalem .... 278 X. On the Appearance of Christ, under the form of a Stranger, to two Disciples going to Emmaus 282 XI. On the Recognition of Christ in the Break- ing of Bread 286 XII. On the Appearance of Christ to the Disci- ples in Jerusalem, when it was late, and the doors were shut 291 XIII. On the Appearance of Christ on the Oc- tave of the Feast of Easter, when St. Thomas was present 298 A Prayer to obtain the peace of mind, which Christ gave to His Disciples. . . . 301 XIV. On the Touching of the Sacred Wounds of Christ by the hand of St. Thomas the Apostle 304 On the gi'eat Grace of Devotion, and the firm Faith of the Apostle St. Thomas. . 307 XV. An Address on the five Sacred Wounds of Jesus Christ 310 XVI. On the Armor of Christ ; the Cross, Nails, Spear, and Crovra of Thorns 316 XVII. On the Appearance of Christ to Seven Disciples, when they were fishing in the Sea of Tiberias 325 XVIII. On the Feasting of Christ with the same Disciples 331 (10) Conttntis. CUAPTEH PAOK XIX. On the loving discourse of Jesus with St. Peter and St. John the Apostle, concern- ing the love of Him 'd'M XX. On the Appearance of Christ to the eleven Disciples on Mount Tabor, in Galilee. . . . 34l! PART IV. ON THE ASCENSION, PENTECOST, AND CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS. I. On tlie Ascension of our Lord, and His Ap- pearance 349 II. On the Appearance of the Angels in white apparel 355 III. On the sending of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles of Christ, at the Feast of Pente- cost 358 rV. A Prayer of Thanksgiving to Clirist for His Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension ; and for sending the Holy Ghost with a fuller outpouring of gifts . . . 362 V. A Prayer concerning the gifts of the Holy Ghost, against divers disorders of the soul 365 VI. A Prayer for the grace of devotion in the performance of Holy Offices, and on the cheerful praise of the Angels in Heaven. . 368 VII. On the Preaching of the Apostles, and pro- claiming the holy Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, throughout the world, for the sal- vation of man 3 74 (11) PREFACE. THE fuU title of this work is, " De Vita et Beneficiis Jesu Christi Salvatoris Nostri Meditationes et Orationes.'' In the table of contents for the third volume of Sommaliiis's ''Opera Omnia" of Thomas a Kempis* it is simply spoken of as " De Vita Christi Medita- tiones " ; and so at the headings of the pages — on the one side we have " De Vita Christi," and on the other, " Meditationes.'' t It is found in the second edition of the above work. It occu- pies rather more than a hundred pages with an index at the end ; and is jjlaced at the begin- • 2d Ed., Antwerp. 1G07. small 4to. t Other titles are given, viz. : — 1. " Liber Orationum De Vita Domini": MS. of Contemporary Biographer, and end of 15th Century. 2. " Meditationes in Vitam Christi " : the Bnx- heim MS. 3. "Orationes in Totam Vitam Christi": 1626, Cologne. 4. " Oraciones y Meditaciones de la Vida de Jesu Christo, N.S.": 1661. Brussels. But all refer to one and the same treatise. iv Preface. ning of the tliii-d volume, double columns, small tj-pe. It does not appear in the first edition, and, after its appearance in this second edition, it disappears altogether, in a strange and most unaccountable manner, without any explana- tion, in all future editions. This has tended in no small degree to discredit the work. To this subject some reference will shortly be made. But the fii'st and principal question that will be asked is. How do we know that this " De Vita" was written by Thomas a Kempisf What other evidence, besides its aj^peai-ance in this edition, is there that he was the author of it ? It is important to give an answer on this point before we proceed further, because it may be said, " Its appearance in only this one edition is sUght ground to build upon, and unless you have some more satisfactory and decisive proof to produce, you are not justified in so deliber- ately speaking of the ' De Vita Christi Medita- tiones ' as the work of Thomas a Kempis." Happily we have, quite apart from Somma- lius, far more certain evidence to depend upon, to assure us that Thomas a Kempis was un- doubtedly the author of it. A contemporary but unknown writer, soon after the death of Thomas, gives a short biogi'aphy of him ; from which it is evident, that, whether the contempo- rary lived on Mount St. Agnes with the Kempen, Preface. t or in the mother-house at Wintleslieini, not many miles distant, or only intimately knew some of the Brethren, he was evidently well acquainted with what Thomas did, and what he- wrote. He it is who gives us that pleasing anecdote about him, that, when a wave of fer- vent devotion came over him, he would ask leave of the Brethren, with whom he might be talk- ing, to withdraw, under the plea that some one was waiting for him in his cell. He reth*ed to hold communion with his Sa^'iour. This writer of his life then adds, that we have the result or fruits of this frequent and sacred intercoui'se with Jesus in some of the books and treatises which he wrote.* This gives the contemporary writer occasion to say in conclusion that, as few knew what Thomas had written, he would put down very specifically a catalogue of his works. Ha\ing told us that this devout Father died in the year 1471, he continues : — " Et quia multos Tractatus seripsit et dicta^-it in \'ita, et pauci sciunt. quo- modo intitulantur vel vocantur, ideo tabulam de ejus Tractatibus et Libris hie intitulare et scribere intendo, ut omnes qui legimt, vel audi- unt, possint scire, quot sunt.'' * See Eusebius Amort, Moralis Certitudo pro Ven : Tlioma Eempensi, 4to, Augiista Vindelicorum, 1764, p. 145. vi Preface. And in the " Titiili Librovum et Tractatnum " given, we have at No. 34 the very book now under consideration, named and specified. It is mentioned and set fortli in these words : — " Liber Orationum De Vita Domini. Domi- mis Deus mens, laudare te desideroJ' The latter words in italics are those with which the book begins, and are given to make it clear that it is the identical work alluded to, so that there might be no mistake. It is in this manner that the biogi-apher indicates the books of the " De Imitatione Christi," which are found separately noted, after this form : — ''5. Libellus sententiarum et verbonim hu- miUs Jesu. Alias vocatur de Imitatione Christi, scilicet; Qui sequitur >»p." '' Secundus Traetatus. Regnum Dei intra vos est." The words in italics being those with which the first and second books of the Imita- tion begin.* The writer of these sacred colloquies with Jesus, whilst desbous that pious Christians should have the benefit of the precious thoughts contained in them, wished, nevertheless, to re- main liidden from the world : a line of conduct thoroughly in accordance with the humble character of Thomas a Kempis; who, whilst * See Eusebius Amort, in his Moralis Certitudo, pp. 144-147. Preface. ■"! sti'iving: to point out the bi^anty of liolincss, aiui to set forth its perfect aud Divine Exemi)lar in all His loveliness, would shrink from the idea of making it known to the world, that he himself it was who held this personal interconrse with the Saviour. This, doubtless, at the first pre- vented his attaehiug his name to what he wi'ote ; so that some persons at a distance, who were unacquainted with Thomas and his writ- ings, speculated as to who was the author of them ; aud iu one or two noticeable instances erroneously attributed them to other famous men. The value of the testimony just produced should be well considered, for it is of the high- est character, aud such as one who is desirous of getting at the truth of the matter would like to have. It is not the witness of some one at a distance, in another country, who could know but little or nothing of the life and writings of Thomas a Kempis but by hearsay ; it is not given by one who lived fifty or a hundred years after the death of this devout Father ; it is written by one who lived during the lifetime of Thomas a Kempis, aud, we may presume, at no great distance from the monastery of Mount St. Agnes. Possibly he belonged to that house, or to the mother-house at Windesheim. However that may be, this is certain, the writer shows, ^TJi Preface. in the hagiographieal sketch given hy him, that he had an intimate and thorough knowledge both of the life and wTitings of the pious author. It is this kind of testimony, I repeat, that is so valuable. It comes from one who is well qualified to give us authentic information. The work is clearly indicated ; and the record as- sures all men that Thomas a Kempis is the author of the " De Vita Christi Meditationes." If there had been any mistake about the matter, we might have expected that some notice of it would have been taken, and that it woiild have been corrected at once. If it had been attrib- uted to any one else, it is certain that some one woiild have made the claim knowTi ; but as there is no other account to be found in that age or country, the testimony of this contem- porary biographer is most important, and may be taken as conclusive. There is, moreover, other contemporary evi- dence to show that this book — the " De Vita Christi Meditationes " — was in existence at the time of the death of Thomas a Kempis in the year 1471. It arises in a very singular and undesigned manner, which helps to confirm the testimony already advanced, and is therefore of great worth. Eusebius Amort is not defending the authorship of the '' De Vit& Christi Medita- Preface. ix tioiies." but that of the " De Imitatione Christi." And, in doiiiij this lie briuj2:s forward an ancient codex, containing several works — some more ancient than others — found in the Carthusian nionasterv of Buxliaim or Bnxheim, Sua) )ia, Ger- many, in which anothev amanuensis, contempo- rary with Thomas k Kempis, gives, at the end of two of the works bound up in the codex, the dates when they were copied ; which is an e\ddent proof that these dated manuscripts must have been known at the time named. The Carthu- sians, as well as the Brethren of other Orders, were familiar with, and were held in much esteem by the Windesheim community, to which Thomas a Kempis belonged. He dludes to them, it will be remembered, in book i, chapter xxv. of the Imitation. Hence a fre- quent interchange of fellowship and kindly actions passed between them ; and that of lend- ing valuable manuscripts to be copied out was one of them. By this means, doubtless, a copy of the '' De Vita Christi Meditationes " was to be found in the Monastery of Buxheim. And of so much worth does Amort regard the codex hi which it is found, that he is very particular in gi^^ng the account he received of it. First, it is in folio ; secondly, the material of the paper is throughout wholly of a papjTus nature ; thirdly, the character of the writing is 3c Preface. the same tliroiig'hout from the beginning to the end; fouffJtIfj, tlie contents or names of the books in the codex are pnt down. And here it should be noted that, after naming a few of them in the list, there comes tliis : — " Item Meditationes in Vitani Christi." And tlien, further d(jwn the list still, mention is made of the Imitation in these words : — " Item hber de Imitatione Chi-isti, qui conti- net in se quatuor hl^ros." In i\\i^, fifth particular, Amort gives a more special account of the " De Imitatione Christi," for this is the object with which he is most concerned ; and, after alluding to the several titles of the four books, he states other things, such as, that each chapter begins with a large capital letter, etc. In the sixth particular he notices the sub- scription to these books. And here the copyist remarks, that the wiiter of the Imitation was " quidam Frater Thomas " of the St. Augustin- ian Order of the Canons Regular at Mount St. Agnes, in the Diocese of Utrecht, a.d. 1471. He states, however, that others attribute the Imitation to John Gerson, Chancellor of Paris. The seventh particular is with regard to the age of the codex ; where it is stated, that it was written in the fifteenth century, that one of the books is dated as copied in the year 1470, " qui Preface. xi ail mis siibs«!ribitiir Meditationibus Vitee Domini iiostii Jesu Christi " ; the veiy work now engag- ing- our attention. And the year 1471, it is to ]je noted, is subscribed to some short and useful works on penitence. The eighth, ninth, and tenth partieidars re- late to the binding of the codex, the present possessor of it, and the name of the individual who sentls these particulars to Amort, with tlu; attestation of a public notary attached to them* Here then we have certified evidence, that a copy of the '• De Vita Christi Meditationes " had been written out in the year before Tlionias a Kempis died, and that it was found in close connection, or bound up with his most cele- brated work, the " De Imitatione Christi," bring- ing both woi'ks uj) to the lifetime of Thomas. It will be observed that the latter work was attributed by some persons to the ChanceUor Gerson. But that question has been, we may hope, settled forever, and certainly need not occupy om* attention. But, as far as we are aware, there is, and has been, no such dispute about the " Do Vita Christi Meditationes."' Us authorship is directly and from the first assigned to Thomas a Kempis. And, until some definite evidence to the contraiy can be produced, we claim the work on liehaLf of this devout Father. * See Amort'ij Mvnilid Ccrtitudo, pp. 152-154. xii Preface. Another curious piece of evidence is before me. I have lately received from Amsterdam an old volume with the first two Parts of the " De Vita Chi-isti Meditationes " printed in large legible Gothic type ; followed by another work which will be noted later. But, as might be expected, no name is attached to the former. It was only likely that they, who fii-st printed the " De Vita," would pay some respect to the wishes of tlie author, who desired to remain unnoticed and luiknown ; especially when pnnted at one of the monastery presses. This was the case with his most famous work, the " De Imitatione Christi." Several editions of it appeareed before one was published with liis name. Hence, later on, other names were at- tached to it , until at length the upholders of the Kempen deemed it their duty to vindicate his right to the authorship. There were not many writers who desired to be hidden from the world as Thomas did ; so that this very singularity became rather a mark of his ^\Tit- ings in that part of the world ; especially among the piously disposed, and the members of his confraternity, scattered in various brother- hoods. Hence, naturally, we find no name attached to these two parts of the '' De Vita " now under consideration. This omission, so far is it from being an objection to the Kem- Preface. xiii pen's authorship of the treatise, is distinctly in favor of its having been written l)y him. Tlicre are, however, certain peculiarities about the volume, to which attention must be di*a\\-n, that confii'm the \-iew that this evidence is in favor of Thomas a Kempis. Several points show that the volume nuist have been printed in the first years of printing- in Germany. Xo name of the author is at- tached to the " De Vita," neither is there any proper title-page appended to it. Only the titles of the two works contained in the volume are put in the upper corner of the first page, in a similar type to that of the book itself. There is no publishers name, no year when it was printed, no place, town, or even habitation, where copies could be obtained. The capital beginning each chapter is a large red letter, which has evidently been ^\Titten, not printed, by a good penman, generally called the " vubri- cator." The i)ages are not numbered, but in- stead the leaves are, yet after a different form to that which was afterwards generally adoi)ted. In one comer, at the bottom of the front page, you have the usual signature, followed by some numerals ; the first signature a is taken, and is continued in numerals up to viii. ; then the signature h is taken, and is also continued up to viii., and so on. Moreover, there is no per- ^i"^' Preface. mission given for leave to print the book, as is mostly found in religious woi-ks, even before A.D. 1500, and was after that date required. All these points prove that the printing of books was then in its infancy.* But these par- ticulars seem to indicate something more. It is thought, and not without reason, that this volume proceeded from one of the printing presses of the Brothers of Common Life. It is known that they wtjre deeply interested ni the new invention ; for the sul)sistence of very many of that community depended upon copy- ing books for sale.t Moreover, they were very early in the field as printers. And no wonder, for they at once perceived, that, by this marvel- lous invention, they could speedily midtiply their publications; whereas, previously, they had spent months of labor in copying each one out by hand. Glad indeed must they have * The volume was sent up to the British Museum for fui'ther information, and, singularly enough, the author- ities possess another similar copy, to which the date A.D. 1475 is conjecturally assigned. This is the year after Oaxton printed his first piece at Westminster, on "The Game of Chesse," a.d. 1474. f Vide Buschius, Chronicon JVindesemense, Autverpise, 1621, 8vo, vol. i. cap. ii. pp. 6. 7 ; a Kempis, Chronicon Sancke Jgnetis, also Antverpia?, 1621, 8vo, cap. iii. p. 11 ; and a Kempis, Vita Geranli Magni, cap. ix. 2, 3, Opera, 1G07, p. 771. Preface. ^v been to avail themselves of this new instrument to produce books more readily, and to any ex- tent. Schaab, in his Erfinduuij der Buchdrucker- kumt, Mainz, 1831, intinuites that one of the Brother-houses in Maryvale probably had a printing-press \vith type for themselves as early as A.D. 1468. And Delprat mentions several other Houses of the Brothers, that sliortly after set up their presses. They did their work re- markably well, and what books they sent out were gi*eatly valued. Neale in his Jansenist Church of Holland, p. 100, says, "Among the most valuable volumes to be f