Thomas A Kempis The Valley of Lilies & The Little Garden of Roses
Potosi, WI 53820 St Athanasius Press 07/07/2009 0981990142 / 9780981990149 Softcover New
$14.99 2 books in One! 2 more rare works from Thomas A Kempis for your spiritual reading pleasure. 138 pages. Table of Contents Prologue Chap. I. On the Threefold State of Human Life 7 Chap. II. Of the Praise of God during the Barrenness of Devotion 9 Chap. III. On the Probation of the Just by Adversity 10 Chap. IV. Of the True Lover of God 12 Chap. V. On the Gratitude of the Soul for every Good 13 Chap. VI. Conformity of the Devout Soul to the Cross 14 Chap. VII. On the Walking of a Pure Soul with God 15 Chap. VIII On the Peace of Heart, and Rest in God 16 Chap. IX. On Recollection of the Heart with God 18 Chap. X. On Watching and Prayer against Temptations19 Chap. XI On the fear of Eternal Punishment 21 Chap. XII. On the Memory of our Lord's Passion 23 Chap. XIII. On the Invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus, and of the Blessed Mary, His Virgin Mother 25 Chap. XIV. On the Necessity of Struggling Manfully against Vice 29 Chap. XV. On the Love of Retirement and Holy Perseverance 31 Chap. XVI. On Divine Consolation in Tribulation for Christ's sake 32 Chap. XVII. On watching over the Conscience 34 Chap. XVIII On Solitude and Silence 37 Chap. XIX. On the Refuge of the Poor in God their Helper Chap. XX. On the Poor and Sick Lazarus 45 Chap. XXI. On the clear understanding of the Holy Scriptures 47 Chap. XXII. On the great merit of Patience for the sake of Christ 51 Chap. XXIII. On the Good Conversation of the Humble Christian 52 Chap. XXIV. On Prudent Conversation and Brotherly Compassion 54 Chap. XXV On the uncertain Hour of Death, and the Speedy End of this Life 57 Chap. XXVI. Of the Eternal Praise of God, and the desire of Eternal Glory 61 Chap. XXVII. Of the Praises sung by the Holy Angels in Heaven 64 Chap. XXVIII. A Prayer of the Devout Lover of God 66 Chap. XXIX. On Union of the Heart with God 68 Chap. XXX. On True Peace, to be sought for in God alone Chap. XXXI. That our intention should be pure, and always directed towards God 72 Chap. XXXII. The Prayer of a Humble and a Contrite Spirit 74 Chap. XXXIII. Of Holy Fellowship with Jesus and with his Saints 76 Chap. XXXIV. On placing our Sovereign Good and farthest aim in God Alone 81 The Little Garden of Roses Starts on 84 THE PROLOGUE TO THIS LITTLE BOOK. The just shall spring as the lily, and his root shall spread forth before the Lord forever, Osee 14:6. This little book may be called the Valley of Lilies, to distinguish in from that which precedes it, under the title of the Little Garden of Roses: for as that treats of many virtues, which spring forth as fair roses, in the garden of Jesus, so this discourses of many other virtues, which as so many lilies of exceeding whiteness, are planted by our Lord Jesus in the valley of humility; where they are sweetly bedewed and fertilized by the inward infusion of the Holy Spirit. For according to the testimony of St. Gregory, to seek to acquire all other virtues, without humility, is to carry dust against the wind. It is of these lilies that the spouse of Christ, out of the humility and devotion of her soul, speaks, in the Canticle of Canticles, when wishing to declare the inward joy and consolation she experienced from the visit of the Divine Spouse, and the graces He had heaped upon her, she says: I to my beloved, and my beloved to me, who feeds among the lilies. (Cant. 6. 2 v. 10.) And again: My beloved is white and ruddy. So shall he repose upon my bosom. To Him be praise, honour and glory, forever and ever. Amen. THE VALLEY OF LILIES CHAPTER I ON THE THREEFOLD STATE OF HUMAN LIFE. I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys. CANT. 2:1. 1. This is the voice of Christ, to His Holy Church in general, and to every devout soul in particular; for Christ is the goodly and sovereign Spouse of the Church, and the head of all the faithful. He is the flower of all virtues, the lily of the valleys, the lover of humility and chastity. If you would serve Christ, and please the Heavenly Spouse, overcome your passions, gather the lilies of virtue, eschew idleness, study diligently, work at some useful manual labor, pray often for a more intimate union with God, turn away from the turmoil of the world, love retirement, and avoid all idle or hurtful conversation. 2. If virtue be not in your heart, how seemly so ever the outward habit, it is worth nothing in the sight of God. The vessel may be of fair proportions outwardly, but within it is empty. Even as a vessel filled with good wine, exhales a pleasing odor, so from the good heart of a religious man, whose affections are pure, spring forth holy words and edifying works, which contribute to the glory of God, and the profit of his neighbor. Weigh well, then, my brother, the great importance of the state in which you art engaged, the outward marks of which you bear before the eyes of men, that so you may study both to please God worthily, and to edify your fellow men by your life and conversation; ever remembering that whether you do good or evil, both are done in the sight of Him who will render to every one according to his works. When therefore you will eat or drink, when you will sleep or take repose, when you will follow the bent of your desires, you do the works of the flesh, and your conduct is like that of the beasts of the earth; that wander about, that eat, drink, and fill their belly, till they are satisfied; that butt with their horns, that tear with their claws or teeth, that scowl with threatening looks on those who resist them, and fill the air with hideous cries such are carnal men, such the glutton, the miser, the proud, the passion ate, and the brawler; for the spirit of God is not in them, and they are subject to their passions only. 3. But when you do watch or pray, when you will read or sing psalms and hymns to the glory of God and His saints, when you will fast, and abstain from vice, and make yourself useful to your neighbor, when you will mourn and weep over your own disorders, or confess them, and supplicate pardon of God; then you do the works of the Holy Spirit, follow His inspirations, and fulfil the duties of a religious life. Such conduct is like that of the angels in heaven, who ever sing the praise and glory of God, from whose face they never turn away. But when you will give way to sentiments of anger, when you will nourish pride, when you will give loose to detraction and murmuring, when you will commit a fraud or practice lying, when you will disturb others or rejoice over the evil that has happened to your neighbor, when his prosperity afflicts you, when you despises him in your heart, or when you labors diligently for your own interest only; then you follows the suggestions of the devil, and your conduct, full of malice and teeming with disorder, resembles his: for that spirit of iniquity owns no counsellor but his passions, no motive but his perverseness. He does all the evil he can, or dare; and because there is no good in him, he strives hard to seduce and pervert the sons of men. The life of the just is like that of the angels, and the life of the carnal man like that of the beasts; but the life of the proud is like that of devils. Servants of God, take heed lest you fall into the snares which the spirits of malice lay for you; for you will be accused by them at the awful tribunal of God, and there confounded. $14.99
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