<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Imitation of Christ&nbsp;by Thomas à Kempis -&nbsp;CHAPTER X</h1>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Of gratitude for the Grace of God</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Why seekest thou rest when thou art born to labour? Prepare thyself for patience more than for comforts, and for bearing the cross more than for joy. For who among the men of this world would not gladly receive consolation and spiritual joy if he might always have it? For spiritual comforts exceed all the delights of the world, and all the pleasures of the flesh. For all worldly delights are either empty or unclean, whilst spiritual delights alone are pleasant and honourable, the offspring of virtue, and poured forth by God into pure minds. But no man can always enjoy these divine comforts at his own will, because the season of temptation ceaseth not for long. <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1653/pg1653-images.html#chap35" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continue &gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>