Thomas à Kempis Quotes

175 Sourced Quotes

The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of the proud are envy and frequent anger.

Thomas à Kempis
He that loveth, flieth, runneth, and rejoiceth. He is free, and cannot be held in. He giveth all for all, and hath all in all, because he resteth in one highest above all things, from whom all that is good flows and proceeds.

Thomas à Kempis
How fast passes away the glory of this world.

Thomas à Kempis
To be able to live peaceably with hard and perverse persons, or with the disorderly, or with such as go contrary to us, is a great grace.

Thomas à Kempis
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.

Thomas à Kempis
What thou art, that thou art; that God knoweth thee to be and thou canst be said to be no greater.

Thomas à Kempis
Simplicity reaches out after God; purity discovers and enjoys Him.

Thomas à Kempis
But because many endeavor to get knowledge rather than to live well, they are often deceived and reap little or no benefit from their labor.

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

Thomas à Kempis
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.

Thomas à Kempis
If you seek Jesus in all things you will surely find Jesus. And if you seek yourself, you will surely find yourself, but only to your ruin.

Thomas à Kempis
Love longs to be free, a stranger to every worldly desire, lest its inner vision become dimmed, and lest worldly self-interest hinder it or ill-fortune cast it down.

Thomas à Kempis
If you desire to know or learn anything to your advantage, then take delight in being unknown and unregarded. A true understanding and humble estimate of oneself is the highest and most valuable of all lessons.

Thomas à Kempis
As iron put into the fire loseth its rust and becometh clearly red-hot, so he that wholly turneth himself unto God puts off all slothfulness, and is transformed into a new man.

Thomas à Kempis
Let all your thoughts be with the Most High, and direct your humble prayers unceasingly to Christ. If you cannot contemplate high and heavenly things, take refuge in the Passion of Christ, and love to dwell within His Sacred Wounds. For if you devoutly seek the Wounds of Jesus and the precious marks of His Passion, you will find great strength in all troubles.

Thomas à Kempis
For the multitude of worldly friends profiteth not, nor may strong helpers anything avail, nor wise counselors give profitable counsel, nor the cunning of doctors give consolation, nor riches deliver in time of need, nor a secret place to defend, if Thou, Lord, do not assist, help, comfort, counsel, inform, and defend.

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

Thomas à Kempis
Let temporal things serve thy use, but the eternal be the object of thy desire.

Thomas à Kempis
Though weary, it is not tired: though pressed it is not straightened; though alarmed, it is not confounded; but as a living flame it forces itself upwards and securely passes through all.

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

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

Thomas à Kempis
Be thankful for the smallest blessing and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest, and simple graces as especial favors. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean.

Thomas à Kempis
The end of all is death and man's life passeth away suddenly as a shadow.

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

Thomas à Kempis
Remain tranquil and prepare to bear still greater trials. All is not lost even though you be troubled oftener or tempted more grievously. You are a man, not God. You are flesh, not an angel. How can you possibly expect to remain always in the same state of virtue when the angels in heaven and the first man in paradise failed to do so? I am He who rescues the afflicted and brings to My divinity those who know their own weakness.

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

Thomas à Kempis
Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.

Thomas à Kempis
Do not try to find a place free from temptations and troubles. Rather, seek a peace that endures even when you are beset by various temptations and tried by much adversity.

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

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

Thomas à Kempis