Arts, riches, beauty, strength, wit, eloquence, are of no value with thee, O Lord, without thy grace. 3. O most blessed grace, that makest the poor in spirit rich in virtue, and makest the rich in many blessings, to be humble in heart; Come, come down unto me, replenish me early with thy comfort, lest my soul should faint for weariness and dryness of mind. O Lord, thy grace is sufficient for me, though other things that nature desireth be wanting. If I be tempted and vexed with many tribulations, I will not fear any evils, while thy grace is with me: This is stronger than all enemies, and wiser than all the wise. Let thy grace, O Lord, always prevent me, and follow me, and make me ever diligent in good works, through Jesus Christ thy Son. _Amen._ CHAPTER XXXIX. _That we ought to deny ourselves and imitate Christ._ _Christ._ FOLLOW Me, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am the way, which thou oughtest to follow; the truth which thou oughtest to trust; the life which thou oughtest to hope for. I am the strait way, the supreme truth, the true life: yea, the blessed life, the uncreated life. If thou remainest in my way, thou shalt know the truth, and the truth shall make thee free, and thou shalt lay hold on everlasting life. 2. _Christian._ Lord Jesus, forasmuch as thy life was poor and contemptible unto the world, grant me grace to imitate thee in suffering worldly contempt. For the servant is not greater than his Lord, nor the disciple above his Master. Let thy servant be exercised in thy life, for therein my salvation consists. Whatsoever I read or heard besides it, doth not refresh or delight me fully. 3. _Christ._ Son, now thou knowest these things, happy shalt thou be if thou do them. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; And I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him, and make him sit with me in the kingdom of my Father. _Christian._ Lord Jesus, as thou hast said and promised, so let it come to pass. I have received the cross, I have received it from thy hand; I will bear it, and bear it till death, as thou hast laid it upon me. Truly the life of a Christian is the cross; but yet it is a guide to paradise. I have begun, I may not go back, neither is it fit to leave that which I have undertaken. Behold, our King goeth before us, who also will fight for us. Let us follow him manfully, let none be dismayed, but be ready to die valiantly in the battle, and let us not blemish our glory by flying from the cross. CHAPTER XL. _That a man be not too much dejected when he feeleth some defect._ _Christ._ SON, patience and humility in adversity are more pleasing to me, than much devotion in prosperity. Why art thou grieved for every little trifle spoken against thee? Although it had been much more, thou oughtest not to have been moved.