Thomas A Kempis Quotes

Carefully avoid in yourself those things which distrub you in others.

The Lord has many lovers of His crown but few lovers of His Cross.

Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of what sort 'soever they be; for that thyself also has many failings which must be borned with by others.

Love is a great thing, yea, a great and thorough good. By itself it makes what is heavy light; and bears evenly all that is uneven.

Blessed are the simple, for they shall have much peace.

Of what use is a long life, if we amend so little? Alas, a long life often adds to our sins rather than to our virtue!

God deceiveth thee not.

Trust not to friends and kindred, neither do thou put off the care of thy soul's welfare til hereafter; for men will sooner forget thee than thou art aware of.

How seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.

Always be thou prepared, and so live that death may never find thee unprepared.

Cling, therefore, to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to the glory of Him who alone can help you when all others fail.

Faith is required of thee, and a sincere life, not loftiness of intellect, nor deepness in the mysteries of God.

Remember, your prerogative is to govern, and not to serve the things of this world.

May not be your peace in the mouth of the men; since no matter if they thing good or bad about you, you should not be a different man because of that.

We feel and weigh soon enough what we suffer from others: but how much others suffer from us, of this we take no heed.

If thou canst not make thyself such an one as thou wouldst, how canst thou expect to have another in all things to thy liking?

Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul.

Our dependence upon God ought to be so entire and absolute that we should never think it necessary, in any kind of distress, to have recourse to human consolations.

Without labor there is no rest, nor without fighting can the victory be won.

No man ruleth safely but he that is willingly ruled.

Such as every man is inwardly so he judgeth outwardly.

In Jesus and for Him, enemies and friends alike are to be loved.

No man is safe above but he that will gladly be beneath.

Do what lieth in thy power, and God will assist in thy good will.

If you can win complete mastery over self, you will easily master all else. To triumph over self is the perfect victory.

A man of peace does more good than a very learned man.

One who views thing as they are in reality, and not as they are said or thought to be, is truly wise, taught by God rather than by other persons

He rides pleasantly enough whom the grace of God carries.

Dispose thyself to patience rather than to comfort, and to the bearing of the cross rather than to gladness.

Seek not to know who said this or that, but take note of what has been said.

It is easier not to speak a word at all than to speak more words than we should.

No man doth safely rule, but he that hath learned gladly to obey.

The more the flesh is wasted by affliction, so much more is the Spirit strengthened by inward grace.

Thou art my glory and the exultation of y heart: thou art my hope and refuge in the day of my trouble.

All is vanity but to love God and serve Him.

The measure of every man’s virtue is best revealed in time of adversity - adversity that does not weaken a man but rather shows what he is.

If you cast away one cross, you will certainly find another, and perhaps a heavier.

If you bear the cross gladly, it will bear you.

In the morning fix thy good purpose; and at night examine thyself what thou hast done, how thou hast behaved thyself in word, deed, and thought.

O Lord, you know what is best for me. Let this or that be done, as you please. Give what you will, how much you will, and when you will.

Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion.

Forasmuch as many people study more to have knowledge than to live well therefore ofttimes they err and bring forth little fruit or none.

Ah, Lord God, thou holy lover of my soul, when thou comest into my heart, all that is within me shall rejoice.

Thou shalt rest sweetly if thy heart condemn thee not.

If thou hadst a good conscience thou wouldst not greatly fear death.

We are often moved with passion and think it to be zeal.

As iron cast into fire loses its rust and becomes glowing white, so he who turns completely to God is stripped of his sluggishness and changed into a new man.

He is truly great who is little in his own eyes and makes nothing of the highest

Peace and happiness are what you covet, but these are only to be obtained by labor.

I have often heard, that it is safer to hear and to take counsel, than to give it.