‘WHAT SHOULD BE THE LIFE OF A TRUE RELIGIOUS PERSON…’ ~ Thomas A Kempis; 1872; Book I; Chapters 16…
[Thomas a Kempis – XIV-XV Century AD; Kempen, Holy Roman Empire/Zwolle, Holy Roman Empire; aged 90-91; Canon, Regular]
“16 ~ OF THE SUFFERING OF OTHER MEN’S DEFAULTS.
SUCH defaults as we cannot amend in ourselves nor in others, we must patiently suffer, till our Lord of His goodness will otherwise dispose. And we shall think that haply it so is best to be for proving of our patience, without which our merits are but little to be pondered.
Nevertheless thou shalt pray heartily for such impediments, that our Lord of His great mercy and goodness vouchsafe to help thee, that thou mayest patiently bear them.
If thou admonish any person once or twice, and he will not take it, strive not over much with him, but commit all to God, that His will be done, and His honour in all His servants, for He can well by His goodness turn evil into good.
Study always that thou mayest be patient in suffering of other men’s defaults, for thou hast many things in thee that others do suffer of thee: and if thou …More
"We would that others should be straitly corrected for their offences, but we will not be corrected. It misliketh us that others have liberty, but we will not be denied of that we ask. We would also that others should be restrained according to the statutes, but we in nowise will be restrained."
"Thus it appeareth evidently that we seldom ponder our neighbour, as we do ourselves. If all men were perfect, what had we then to suffer of our neighbours for God?"
"If thou admonish any person once or twice, and he will not take it, strive not over much with him, but commit all to God, that His will be done, and His honour in all His servants, for He can well by His goodness turn evil into good."