FROM The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis (Richard Whitford translation):

Jesus hath many lovers of His kingdom of heaven, but He hath few bearers of His cross. Many desire His consolation, but few desire His tribulation. He findeth many fellows at eating and drinking, but He findeth few that will be with Him in His abstinence and fasting. All men would joy with Him, but few would anything suffer for Christ. Many follow Him to the breaking of His bread for their bodily refection, but few will follow Him to drink a draught of the chalice of His Passion. Many marvel and honour His miracles, but few will follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus so long as no adversity befalleth them, and can praise Him and bless Him when they receive any benefit of Him: but if Jesus a little withdraw Himself from them, and a little forsake them, anon they fall to some great grudging, or to overgreat dejection.

They that love Jesus purely for Himself, and not for their own profit and commodity bless Him as heartily in temptation, tribulation, and all other adversities as they do in the time of consolation. And if He never sent them consolation, yet would they always laud Him and praise Him.

O how much may the love of Jesus do to the help of a soul, if it be pure and clean, not mixed with any inordinate love to self! May not they then that ever look for worldly comforts, and for worldly consolations, be called worldly merchants and worldly lovers, rather than lovers of God? Do they not openly shew by their deeds that they rather love themselves than God?

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