Introduction to the Devout Life
Publisher: Longmans, Green, and Co.
Published: 1891
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Table of contents: title: Sketch of the Life of St. Francis of Sales v; title: A Dedicatory Prayer xiii; title: The Author's Preface     xv; title: PART THE FIRST; title: CONTAINING THE COUNSELS AND EXERCISES NECESSARY FOR CONDUCTING THE SOUL FROM ITS FIRST DESIRE FOR THE DEVOUT LIFE TO A FULL RESOLUTION TO EMBRACE IT; title: I. Description of True Devotion 1; title: II. The Nature and Excellency of Devotion 3; title: III. That Devotion is suitable to all sorts of Vocations and Professions 6; title: IV. Of the necessity of a Guide for entering upon and making progress in Devotion 8; title: V. That we must begin with the Purifying of the Soul 10; title: VI. Of the First Purgation, which is that of Mortal Sin 12 ia; title: VII. Of the Second Purgation, which is that of the Affection to Sin 13; title: VIII. Of the Means to make this Second Purgation 15; title: IX. First Meditation — On our Creation    16; title: X. Second Meditation — On the End for which we were Created 18; title: XI. Third Meditation — On the Benefits of God   20; title: XII. Fourth Meditation — On Sin 22; title: XIII. Fifth Meditation — On Death 24; title: XIV. Sixth Meditation — On Judgment  26; title: XV. Seventh Meditation — On Hell 28; title: XVI. Eighth Meditation — On Heaven 29; title: XVII. Ninth Meditation — On the Election and Choice of Heaven       31; title: XVIII. Tenth Meditation — By way of Election and choice which the Soul makes of a Devout Life    33; title: XIX. How to make a General Confession   35; title: XX. A formal Protestation for fixing in the Soul a firm Resolution to serve God 36; title: XXI. Conclusion of this first Purgation 38; title: XXII. That we must purify ourselves from the Affection to Venial Sins 39; title: XXIII. That we ought to purify ourselves from Affections to things useless and dangerous    41; title: XXIV. That we must purge ourselves from Evil Inclinations 43; title: PART THE SECOND; title: CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR ELEVATING THE SOUL TO GOD BY PRAYER AND THE SACRAMENTS; title: I. Of the Necessity of Prayer     44; title: II. A Short Method of Meditation. And first, of the Presence of God, the first point of the Preparation 47; title: III. Of the Invocation, the second point of the Preparation 49; title: IV. Of the third point of Preparation, the Proposition of the Mystery 50; title: V. Of the Considerations, which form the second part of the Meditation 51; title: VI. Of Affections and Resolutions : the third part of the Meditation 52; title: VII. Of the Conclusion, and Spiritual Nosegay  53; title: VIII. Certain profitable counsels on the subject of Meditation 54; title: IX. Of the Dryness which is sometimes experienced in Meditation 56; title: X. Morning Exercises 57; title: XI. Of the Evening Exercise and Examination of Conscience 59; title: XII. Of Spiritual Recollection 60; title: XIII. Of Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayers, and Good Thoughts 63; title: XIV. Of the Holy Eucharist, and how we ought to take part in it 68; title: XV. Of other Public and Common Exercises   70; title: XVI. How we ought to hear and read the Word of God 71; title: XVII. How we ought to receive Inspirations   72; title: XVIII. Of Holy Confession 75; title: XIX. Of Frequent Communion 78; title: XX. How we ought to Communicate    81; title: PART THE THIRD; title: CONTAINING CERTAIN COUNSELS CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF THE VIRTUES; title: I. Of the Choice we ought to make as to the exercise of the Virtues 84; title: II. A continuation of the same Discourse about the Choice of Virtues 88; title: III. Of Patience 92; title: IV. Of Exterior Humility 96; title: V. Of Interior Humility 99; title: VI. That Humility makes us love our own Abjection 103; title: VII. That we must preserve our Good Name while practising Humility 107; title: VIII. Of Meekness towards our Neighbour and Remedies against Anger 111; title: IX. Of Meekness towards Ourselves   115; title: X. That we must do our business with Diligence, but without Eagerness or Anxiety    117; title: XI. Of Obedience 120; title: XII. Of the necessity of Chastity 122; title: XIII. Advices how to preserve Chastity   125; title: XIV. Of Poverty of Spirit to be observed in the midst of Riches 127; title: XV. How to practise true Poverty, being, notwithstanding, really rich 130; title: XVI. How to practise Richness of Spirit in real Poverty 134; title: XVII. Of Friendship: and first, of that which is evil and frivolous 136; title: XVIII. Of Fond Love 138; title: XIX. Of True Friendship 141; title: XX. Of the Difference between True and Vain Friendships 144; title: XXI. Counsels and Remedies against Evil Friendships 146; title: XXII. Further Counsels on the subject of Friendship 150; title: XXIII. Of the exercises of Exterior Mortification   152; title: XXIV. Of Conversation and Solitude 157; title: XXV. Of Decency in Attire 160; title: XXVI. Of Discourse ; and first, how we must speak of God 162; title: XXVII. Of Modesty in our Words, and the respect we owe to Persons 163; title: XXVIII. Of Rash Judgments 165; title: XXIX. Of Detraction 170; title: XXX. Further Counsels on Discourse    175; title: XXXI. Of Pastimes and Recreations : and first, of such as are lawful and commendable   177; title: XXXII. Of Prohibited Games 179; title: XXXIII. Of Balls and Pastimes which are lawful, but dangerous 180; title: XXXIV. At what time we may Play or Dance  182; title: XXXV. That we must be Faithful, both on great and small Occasions 183; title: XXXVI. That we must be Just and Reasonable   186; title: XXXVII. Of Desires 188; title: XXXVIII. Instructions for Married People    190; title: XXXIX. Counsels for Widows   198; title: XL. A Word to Virgins 203; title: PART THE FOURTH; title: CONTAINING NECESSARY COUNSELS AGAINST THE MORE ORDINARY TEMPTATIONS; title: I. That we must not concern ourselves about what the World shall say 204; title: II. That we must be of Good Courage   207; title: III. Of the Nature of Temptations, and of the difference there is between being Tempted and yielding to it 208; title: IV. An Example on this Subject    211; title: V. Encouragement to a Soul which is under Temptation 212; title: VI. How Temptation and Delectation may become Sinful 213; title: VII. Remedies against Great Temptations    216; title: VIII. That we must resist Small Temptations   217; title: IX. How to resist Small Temptations  218; title: X. How to fortify pur Hearts against Temptations   220; title: XI. Of Inquietude 221; title: XII. Of Sadness   224; title: XIII. Of Spiritual and Sensible Consolations, and how we ought to behave in them 226; title: XIV. Of Spiritual Dryness 233; title: XV. A Confirmation and Illustration of what has been said by a notable Example 238; title: PART THE FIFTH; title: CONTAINING EXERCISES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR RENEWING THE SOUL AND CONFIRMING HER IN DEVOTION; title: I. We ought every Year to renew our Good Resolutions by the following Exercises 242; title: II. Considerations on the Favour which God does us in calling us to His Service, considered according to  the Protestations contained in the First Part   243; title: III. On the Examination of the Soul on her Progressin the Devout Life 246; title: IV. An Examination of the State of the Soul toward God 247; title: V. An Examination of the State of the Soul towards itself 249; title: VI. An Examination of the State of the Soul towards our Neighbour   251; title: VII. An Examination of the Affections of our Soul   251; title: VIII. Affections to be Exercised after this Examination  253; title: IX. Considerations proper for the Renewal of your Good Purposes 253; title: X. The First Consideration: of the Excellence of the Soul 254; title: XI. The Second Consideration: of the Excellence of Virtue 255; title: XII. The Third Consideration: on the Example of the Saints 256; title: XIII. The Fourth Consideration: of the Love of Jesus Christ towards us 257; title: XIV. The Fifth Consideration : of the Eternal Love of God towards us 259; title: XV. General Affections on the preceding Considerations, and the Conclusion of these Exercises     260; title: XVI. Of our Sentiments after this Exercise    261; title: XVII. An Answer to two Objections which may be made to this Introduction 262; title: XVIII. The three final and principal Counsels of this Introduction    263