1500 Italian INCUNABLE Imitation
of Christ / Thomas a Kempis Milan Jean Gerson
Extremely Rare Milano Incunabula /
comp@$25,000
The Imitation of Christ (Latin: De
Imitatione Christi) by Thomas à Kempis is a Christian devotional book. It was
first composed in Latin ca.1418-1427. It is a handbook for spiritual life
arising from the Devotio Moderna movement, of which Kempis was a member.
An extremely rare
Italian vernacular incunable of the famous Imitation of Christ by Thomas a
Kempis.
We find other incunable printings of this
work for sale elsewhere for nearly $25,000!
Main author: Jean Gerson; Thomas à Kempis
Title: Ioannes Gerson de imitatione
Christi et de contemptu mūdi in uulgari sermone
Published: per Magistro Iohāne Angelo Scinzeler
: Milano, 1500.
Language: Italian
Notes & contents:
·
Lacking
only 2 leaves
·
also
present are two medieval manuscript leaf fragments
·
Signatures:
a-g8(-a1), , h4, i6(-i6)
o 39 lines to a page
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Wear:
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Binding:
tight and secure binding
Pages:
64 of 66 leaves, without pagination.
Publisher:
per Magistro Iohāne Angelo Scinzeler : Milano, 1500.
Size: ~7.5in
X 5.5in (19cm x 14cm)
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The Imitation of Christ (Latin: De Imitatione Christi) by
Thomas à Kempis is a Christian devotional book. It was first composed in Latin
ca.1418-1427.[1][2] It is a handbook for spiritual life arising from the
Devotio Moderna movement, where Kempis was a member.[3]
The Imitation is perhaps the most widely read devotional
work next to the Bible,[2][4] and is regarded as a devotional and religious
classic.[5] Apart from the Bible no book has been translated into more
languages than the Imitation of Christ.[6]
The text is divided into four books, which provide detailed
spiritual instructions: "Helpful Counsels of the Spiritual Life",
"Directives for the Interior Life", "On Interior
Consolation" and "On the Blessed Sacrament".
The approach taken in the Imitation is characterized by its
emphasis on the interior life and withdrawal from the world, as opposed to an
active imitation of Christ by other friars.[1] The book places a high level of
emphasis on the devotion to the Eucharist as key element of spiritual life.[1]
Contents
1 Background and
history
1.1 Background
1.2 History
2 Teachings
2.1 Book One
2.2 Book two
2.3 Book three
2.4 Book four
3 Impact and
influences
4 Criticisms
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links
Background and history
Background
Main article: Imitation of Christ
Modern photo of Windesheim, where Devotio Moderna took root.
The ideal of the imitation of Christ has been an important
element of Christian theology, ethics and spirituality.[7][8] References to
this concept and its practice are found in the earliest Christian documents,
e.g. the Pauline Epistles.[8]
Saint Augustine viewed the imitation of Christ as the
fundamental purpose of Christian life, and as a remedy for the imitation of the
sins of Adam.[9][10] Saint Francis of Assisi believed in the physical as well
as the spiritual imitation of Christ, and advocated a path of poverty and
preaching like Jesus who was poor at birth in the manger and died naked on the
cross.[11][12] The theme of imitation of Christ existed in all phases of
Byzantine theology, and in the 14th century book Life in Christ Nicholas
Cabasilas viewed "living one's own personal life" in Christ as the
fundamental Christian virtue.[13][14]
Against this backdrop, the Devotio Moderna movement was
started by Geert Groote who was highly dissatisfied with the state of the
Church and what he perceived as the gradual loss of monastic traditions and the
lack of moral values among the clergy.[15] The initial focus of Devotio Moderna
was the rediscovery of genuine pious practices and conversion and re-conversion
of the lukewarm clergy.[16][17] The Imitation was written within the Devotio
Moderna community, as it was flourishing in Northern Europe, but grew far beyond
that movement which came to an end with the Protestant Reformation.[17]
History
The book was written anonymously in Latin in Netherlands ca.
1418-1427[1][2][18] and Thomas à Kempis is generally accepted as the
author.[19] Several sources of authority, including members of his own order,
name Kempis as the author and various contemporary manuscripts, including one
autograph codex, bear his name.[20]
A 1874 edition from Tours, France
Joseph N. Tylenda S.J writes that the book was composed
anonymously is "not surprising" since the author writes in the
Imitation that one should "love to be unknown."(Book 1; Chap.2).[21]
Regarding the anonymity of the work, William C. Creasy also notes that the
author of the Imitation wrote, "Do not let the writer's authority or
learning influence you, be it little or great, but let the love of pure truth
attract you to read. Do not ask, 'Who said this?' but pay attention to what is
said."(Book 1; Chap.5).[22]
By 1471, the manuscripts of the book were so frequently hand
copied and passed across monasteries, that there are around 750 extant
manuscripts of the Imitation.[23] Thomas à Kempis's 1441 autograph manuscript
of the book is available at the Bibliothèque Royale in Brussels.[24] The first
printed edition appeared in Augsburg in ca.1471-2.[23] By the end of the 15th
century, the book had more than 100 printed editions and translations in
French, German, Italian and Spanish.[25]
The book received an enthusiastic response from the very
early days, as characterized by the statement of George Pirkhamer, the prior of
Nuremberg regarding the 1494 edition: "Nothing more holy, nothing more
honorable, nothing more religious, nothing in fine more profitable for the
Christian commonweal can you ever do than to make known these works of Thomas à
Kempis."[20]
The number of counted editions exceeds 2000; 1000 different
editions are preserved in the British Museum. The Bullingen collection, donated
to the city of Cologne in 1838, contained at the time 400 different editions.
De Backer [26] enumerates 545 Latin and about 900 French editions. A critical
edition was published in 1982.[27]
Teachings
The Imitation of Christ is divided into four books which
provide detailed spiritual instructions.[5][28]
Book One
Chap. 1 from The Imitation of Christ, Chapman & Hall
(1878)
The Book One of The Imitation is titled "Helpful
Counsels of the Spiritual Life." The Imitation derives its title from the
first chapter of Book I, "The Imitation of Christ and contempt for the
vanities of the world" (Latin: "De Imitatione Christi et contemptu
omnium vanitatum mundi").[29] The Imitation is sometimes called as
Following of the Christ, which comes from the opening words of the first
chapter—"Whoever follows Me will not walk into darkness."[29] The
Book One deals with the withdrawal of the outward life—so far as positive duty
allows and emphasizes an interior life by renouncing all that is vain and
illusory, resisting temptations and distractions of life, giving up the pride
of learning and to be humble, forsaking the disputations of theologians and
patiently enduring the world's contempt and contradiction.[29][30]
Kempis stresses the importance of solitude and silence,
"how undisturbed a conscience we would have if we never went searching
after ephemeral joys nor concerned ourselves with affairs of the world..."
Kempis writes that the "World and all its allurements pass away" and
following sensual desires leads to a "dissipated conscience" and a
"distracted heart".(Chap.20)[31] Kempis writes that one should
meditate on death and "live as becomes a pilgrim and a stranger on
earth...for this earth of ours is no lasting city."(Chap.23)[32] On the
Day of Judgement, Kempis writes that a good and pure conscience will give more
joy than all the philosophy one has ever learned, fervent prayer will bring
more happiness than a "multi-course banquet", the silence will be
more "exhilarating" than long tales, holy deeds will be of greater
value than nice-sounding words.(Chap.24)[33]
Kempis writes one must remaining faithful and fervent to
God, and keep good hope of attaining victory and salvation, but avoiding
overconfidence. Kempis gives the example of an anxious man who, oscillating
between fear and hope and with grief went to the altar and said: "Oh, if
only I knew that I shall persevere to the end." Immediately he heard the
divine answer, "What if you knew this? What would you do? Do now what you
would do then, and you will be very safe." After this the man gave himself
to God's will, and his anxiety and fear of future disappeared.(Chap 25)[34][35]
Book two
The Book Two of The Imitation is "Directives for the
Interior Life." The book continues the theme of the Book One, and contains
instructions concerning "inward peace, purity of heart, a good
conscience—for moderating our longings and desires, for patience, for
submission to the will of God, for the love of Jesus, for enduring the loss of
comfort, and for taking up the Cross."[30] Kempis writes that if we have a
clear conscience God will defend us, and whomever God chooses to help no man's
malice can harm.[36] Kempis writes that when a man humbles himself, "God
protects and defends him...God favors the humble man..and after he has been
brought low raises him up to glory."(Chap.2)[37] Kempis stress the importance
of a good conscience—"The man whose conscience is pure easily finds peace
and contentment...Men only see your face, but it is God who sees your heart.
Men judge according to external deeds, but only God can weigh the motives
behind them."(Chap. 6)[38][39] Kempis writes we must place our on Jesus
rather than in men and "...Do not trust nor lean on a reed that is shaken
...All flesh is grass, and all its glory shall fade like the flower in the
field."(Chap.7)[40] Kempis writes that false sense of freedom and overconfidence
are obstacles for spiritual life. Kempis writes that "Grace will always be
given to the truly grateful, and what is given to the humble is taken away from
the proud."(Chap.10)[41]
Kempis writes that we must not attribute any good to
ourselves but attribute everything to God. Kempis asks us to be grateful for
"every little gift" and we will be worthy to receive greater ones, to
consider the least gift as great and the most common as something special.
Kempis writes that if we consider the dignity of the giver, no gift will seem
unimportant or small.(Chap.10)[41] The last chapter "The Royal Road of the
Cross", Kempis writes that if we carry the cross willingly, it will lead
us to desired goal, but on the other hand if we carry our cross grudgingly,
then we turn it in to a heavy burden and if we should throw off one cross, we
will surely find anther, which is perhaps heavier. Kempis writes that by
ourselves we cannot bear the cross, but if we put the trust in the Lord, He
will send the strength from heaven.(Chap. 12)[42][43]
Book three
The 1505 edition, Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht,
Holland.
The Book Three, "On Interior Consolation" is the
longest among the four books. This book is in the form of a dialogue between
Jesus and the disciple.
Jesus says that very few turn to God and spirituality, since
they are more eager to listen to the world and desires of their flesh than to
God. Jesus says that the world promises things that are passing and of little
value,which are served with great enthusiasm; While He promises things that are
most excellent and eternal and men's hearts remain indifferent.(Chap.3)[44][45]
Jesus says that the "man who trusts in Me I never send away empty. When I
make a promise I keep it, and I fulfill whatever I have pledged—if only you
remain faithful...unto the end."(Chap.3)[44][45]
Jesus says that Spiritual progress and perfection consists
in offering oneself to the divine will and not seeking oneself in
"anything either small or great, in time or in eternity."(Chap.25)[46]
Jesus says not be anxious about future—"Do not let your heart be troubled
and do not be afraid." Jesus advises the disciple that all is not lost
when the result is not as planned, when one thinks he is farthest from Jesus,
it is then that Jesus is nearest, when one thinks that all is lost, it is then
that victory is close at hand. Jesus says not to react to a difficulty as if
there were no hope of being freed from it.(Chap.30)[47][48]
Joseph Tylenda summarizes the central theme of the third
book with the teaching in Chapter 56, "My son, to the degree that you can
leave yourself behind, to that degree will you be able to enter into Me. Just
as desiring nothing outside you produces internal peace within you, so the
internal renunciation of yourself unites you to God."[29] Jesus gives his
important teaching, "Follow Me...I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Without the Way, there is no going; without the Truth, there is no knowing;
without Life, there is no living. I am the Way you are to follow; I am the
Truth you are to believe; I am the Life you are to hope for."(Chap.
56)[49][50]
Book four
Book Four of The Imitation, "On the Blessed
Sacrament" is also in the form of a dialogue between Jesus and the
disciple.[29] Kempis writes that in this Sacrament spiritual grace is
conferred, the soul's strength is replenished, and the recipient's mind is
fortified and strength is given to the body debilitated by sin.(Chap.1)[51]
Jesus says that the sooner one resigns wholeheartedly to
God, and no longer seeks anything according to his own will or pleasure, but
totally places in God's hands, the sooner will one be united with God and be at
peace.[52] Jesus continues, "Nothing will make you happier or please you
as much as being obedient to the divine will."(Chap.15)[52] Jesus also
delivers his "changeless teaching"—"Unless you renounce all that
you have, you cannot be my disciple."(Chap.8)[53]
To receive the Sacrament, Jesus says "make clean the
mansions of your heart. Shut out the whole world and all its sinful din and sit
as a solitary sparrow on a housetop and, in the bitterness of your soul,
meditate on your transgressions."(Chap.12)[54][55] Jesus says that there
is no offering more worthy, no satisfaction greater, for the washing away of
sins and to offer oneself purely and completely to God at the time the Body of
Christ is offered in the Mass and in Communion.(Chap. 7)[56]
Impact and influences
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux paraphrased The Imitation in her
own writings in over 50 cases.[57]
The Imitation of Christ is regarded as the most important
devotional work in Catholic Christianity and is the most widely read devotional
work next to the Bible.[2] Apart from the Bible no book has been translated
into more languages than the Imitation of Christ.[6]
The book was admired by the following individuals: St.
Thomas More, chancellor and renowned humanist who gave his life in the
anti-Catholic pogrom of King Henry VIII of England; St. Ignatius of Loyola,
founder of the Society of Jesus; and twentieth century American Catholic author
and monk, Thomas Merton. It also has been admired by countless others, both
Catholic and Protestant.[2] The Jesuits give it an official place among their
"exercises".
John Wesley and John Newton, the founders of the Methodist
Movement, listed The Imitation among the works that influenced them at their
conversion. General Gordon carried it with him to the battlefield.
Filipino national hero Jose Rizal reportedly read this book
while in prison at Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines before his execution
by a Spanish squad of soldiers.[58]
Swami Vivekananda, the 19th Century Hindu Philosopher and
founder of Vedanta Society, drew a number of parallels between the teachings of
the Imitation and the Bhagavad Gita. Vivekananda wrote a preface and a
translation of the Imitation in 1899.[59] Vivekananda would always carry a copy
of the Bhagavad Gita and the Imitation.[60] Spiritual writer Eknath Easwaran
compared the teachings of the Imitation with the Upanishads.[61]
The Imitation of Christ was an early influence on the
spirituality of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who used it in her prayer life,
distilled its message and used it in her own writings which then influenced
Catholic spirituality as a whole.[62] Thérèse was so attached to the book and
read it so many times that she could quote passages from it from memory in her
teens.[57]
Theologian Shailer Mathews wrote that the Imitation presents
an accurate description of the Christ of the Gospels, and gives an unbiased
reading of the words of Jesus.[63] Mathews wrote that the "For centuries
men have found in it inspiration to sacrifice and humility, and to severest
self-examination...He who has never come under its influence has missed
something that would have made him more humble.