# Of the Imitation of Christ/Book III/Chapter XLV

CHAPTER XLV.
THAT CREDIT IS NOT TO BE GIVEN TO ALL: AND THAT MAN IS PRONE TO OFFEND IN WORDS.
RANT me help, Lord, in tribulation, for vain is the help of man!
How often have I been deceived where I thought myself sure of faithfulness.
I found it often where beforehand I least expected it.
It is in vain therefore to trust in men, but the salvation of the righteous is in Thee, God!
Blessed be Thou, O Lord my God, in all things that befall us.
We are weak and unstable; we are quickly deceived and changed.
2. Who is he, that is able in all things so warily and circumspectly to keep himself, as never to fall into any deception or perplexity?
But he that trusteth in Thee, O Lord, and seeketh Thee, with a single heart, doth not easily fall.
And if he do fall into any tribulation, be he never so much entangled, yet he shall quickly either through Thee be delivered, or by Thee be comforted; for Thou wilt not forsake him that trusteth in Thee.
​A friend is rarely to be found that continueth faithful in all his friend's distresses.
Thou, O Lord, even Thou alone, art most faithful at all times, and there is none like unto Thee.
3. O how wise was that holy soul that said, "My mind is firmly settled and grounded in Christ."
If it were so with me, human fear would not vex me, nor darts of words move me.
Who can foretell all things? who is able to beware beforehand of evils to come? If things foreseen do oftentimes hurt us, how can things unlooked for do otherwise than wound us?
But wretch that I am, why did I not provide better for myself? why also have I so trusted others?
But we are men, nothing else but frail men, although by many we may be reputed angels.
To whom shall I give credit, Lord, but to Thee? Thou art the truth, which neither doth deceive, nor can be deceived.
And on the other side, "every man is a liar," weak, inconstant, and subject to fall, especially in words; and therefore we must not at first give credit to that which in the outward show seemeth to sound aright.
4. O with what wisdom hast Thou warned us to beware of men; and a man's foes are they of his own household, not forthwith to believe if one should say, Lo here, or Lo there.
My hurt has been my instructor, and O that thereby I might increase my caution.
"Be wary," saith one, "be wary, keep to thyself what I tell thee;" and whilst I hold my peace, and think it is secret, he cannot himself keep that which ​he desired me to keep, but presently betrayeth both me and himself.
From such indiscreet persons protect me, O Lord, that I neither fall into their hands, nor ever commit such things myself.
Grant me to observe truth and constancy in my words, and remove far from me a crafty tongue.
What I am unwilling to suffer in others, I ought by all means to avoid myself.
5. O how good is it, and how it tendeth to peace, to be silent about other men, and not to believe readily all that is said, nor eagerly to repeat reports.
How good it is to lay one's self open to few, and always to be seeking after Thee Who art the searcher of the heart.
Nor to be carried about with every wind of words, but to desire that all things, both within and without, be accomplished according to the pleasure of Thy will.
How safe is it, for the keeping of heavenly grace, to avoid appearances, and not to seek those things that seem to cause admiration abroad, but to follow with all diligence the things which bring amendment of life and godliness.
6. To how many hath virtue itself been hurtful when over hastily commended!
How profitable hath grace been when preserved in silence in this frail life, which truly is temptation and warfare!