Introduction to the Devout Life
CHAPTER I. What true Devotion is. CHAPTER I. What true Devotion is.
CHAPTER IX. FIRST MEDITATION. CHAPTER IX. FIRST MEDITATION.
CHAPTER X. SECOND MEDITATION CHAPTER X. SECOND MEDITATION
CHAPTER XI. THIRD MEDITATION. CHAPTER XI. THIRD MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XII. FOURTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XII. FOURTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIII. FIFTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XIII. FIFTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIV. SIXTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XIV. SIXTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XV. SEVENTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XV. SEVENTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVI. EIGHTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVI. EIGHTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVII. NINTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVII. NINTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XVIII. TENTH MEDITATION. CHAPTER XVIII. TENTH MEDITATION.
CHAPTER XIX. How to make a General Confession. CHAPTER XIX. How to make a General Confession.
CHAPTER I. The Necessity of Prayer. CHAPTER I. The Necessity of Prayer.
CHAPTER VIII. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation. CHAPTER VIII. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation.
CHAPTER IX. Concerning Dryness in Meditation. CHAPTER IX. Concerning Dryness in Meditation.
CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer. CHAPTER X. Morning Prayer.
CHAPTER XII. On Spiritual Retirement. CHAPTER XII. On Spiritual Retirement.
CHAPTER XVI. How the Saints are united to us. CHAPTER XVI. How the Saints are united to us.
CHAPTER XVII. How to Hear and Read God's Word. CHAPTER XVII. How to Hear and Read God’s Word.
CHAPTER XVIII. How to receive Inspirations. CHAPTER XVIII. How to receive Inspirations.
CHAPTER XIX. On Confession. CHAPTER XIX. On Confession.
CHAPTER XX. Of Frequent Communion. CHAPTER XX. Of Frequent Communion.
CHAPTER XXI. How to Communicate. CHAPTER XXI. How to Communicate.
PART III. CONTAINING COUNSELS CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE.
CHAPTER II. The same Subject continued. CHAPTER II. The same Subject continued.
CHAPTER III. On Patience. CHAPTER III. On Patience.
CHAPTER IV. On Greater Humility. CHAPTER IV. On Greater Humility.
CHAPTER V. On Interior Humility. CHAPTER V. On Interior Humility.
CHAPTER IX. On Gentleness towards Ourselves. CHAPTER IX. On Gentleness towards Ourselves.
CHAPTER XI. On Obedience. CHAPTER XI. On Obedience.
CHAPTER XII. On Purity. CHAPTER XII. On Purity.
CHAPTER XIII. How to maintain Purity. CHAPTER XIII. How to maintain Purity.
CHAPTER XIV. On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches. CHAPTER XIV. On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches.
CHAPTER XVIII. On Frivolous Attachments. CHAPTER XVIII. On Frivolous Attachments.
CHAPTER XIX. Of Real Friendship. CHAPTER XIX. Of Real Friendship.
CHAPTER XXI. Remedies against Evil Friendships. CHAPTER XXI. Remedies against Evil Friendships.
CHAPTER XXIV. Of Society and Solitude. CHAPTER XXIV. Of Society and Solitude.
CHAPTER XXV. On Modesty in Dress. CHAPTER XXV. On Modesty in Dress.
CHAPTER XXVIII. Of Hasty Judgments. CHAPTER XXVIII. Of Hasty Judgments.
CHAPTER XXIX. On Slander. CHAPTER XXIX. On Slander.
CHAPTER XXX. Further Counsels as to Conversation. CHAPTER XXX. Further Counsels as to Conversation.
CHAPTER XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements. CHAPTER XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements.
CHAPTER XXXVII. Of Wishes. CHAPTER XXXVII. Of Wishes.
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Counsels to Married People. CHAPTER XXXVIII. Counsels to Married People.
CHAPTER XXXIX. The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed. CHAPTER XXXIX. The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed.
CHAPTER XL. Counsels to Widows. CHAPTER XL. Counsels to Widows.
CHAPTER XLI. One Word to Maidens. CHAPTER XLI. One Word to Maidens.
PART IV. CONTAINING NEEDFUL COUNSELS CONCERNING SOME ORDINARY TEMPTATIONS.
CHAPTER II. The need of a Good Courage. CHAPTER II. The need of a Good Courage.
CHAPTER V. Encouragement for the Tempted Soul. CHAPTER V. Encouragement for the Tempted Soul.
CHAPTER VII. Remedies for Great Occasions. CHAPTER VII. Remedies for Great Occasions.
CHAPTER VIII. How to resist Minor Temptations. CHAPTER VIII. How to resist Minor Temptations.
CHAPTER IX. How remedy Minor Temptations. CHAPTER IX. How remedy Minor Temptations.
CHAPTER XI. Anxiety of Mind. CHAPTER XI. Anxiety of Mind.
CHAPTER XII. Of Sadness and Sorrow. CHAPTER XII. Of Sadness and Sorrow.
CHAPTER XIV. Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness. CHAPTER XIV. Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness.
CHAPTER XV. An Illustration. CHAPTER XV. An Illustration.
PART V. CONTAINING COUNSELS AND PRACTICES FOR RENEWING AND CONFIRMING THE SOUL IN DEVOTION.
CHAPTER XII. The Example of the Saints. CHAPTER XII. The Example of the Saints.
CHAPTER XIV. The Eternal Love of God for us. CHAPTER XIV. The Eternal Love of God for us.
Of Death.
Preparation.
1. PLACE yourself in the Presence of God. 2. Ask His Grace. 3. Suppose yourself to be on your deathbed, in the last extremity, without the smallest hope of recovery.
Considerations.
1. Consider the uncertainty as to the day of your death. One day your soul will quit this body—will it be in summer or winter? in town or country? by day or by night? will it be suddenly or with warning? will it be owing to sickness or an accident? will you have time to make your last confession or not? will your 36 confessor or spiritual father be at hand or will he not? Alas, of all these things we know absolutely nothing: all that we do know is that die we shall, and for the most part sooner than we expect.
2. Consider that then the world is at end as far as you are concerned, there will be no more of it for you, it will be altogether overthrown for you, since all pleasures, vanities, worldly joys, empty delights will be as a mere fantastic vision to you. Woe is me, for what mere trifles and unrealities I have ventured to offend my God? Then you will see that what we preferred to Him was nought. But, on the other hand, all devotion and good works will then seem so precious and so sweet:—Why did I not tread that pleasant path? Then what you thought to be little sins will look like huge mountains, and your devotion will seem but a very little thing.
3. Consider the universal farewell which your soul will take of this world. It will say farewell to riches, pleasures, and idle companions; to amusements and pastimes, to friends and neighbours, to husband, wife and child, in short to all creation. And lastly it will say farewell to its own body, which it will leave pale and cold, to become repulsive in decay.
4. Consider how the survivors will hasten to put that body away, and hide it beneath the 37 earth—and then the world will scarce give you another thought, or remember you, any more than you have done to those already gone. “God rest his soul!” men will say, and that is all. O death, how pitiless, how hard thou art!
5. Consider that when it quits the body the soul must go at once to the right hand or the left. To which will your soul go? what side will it take? none other, be sure, than that to which it had voluntarily drawn while yet in this world.
Affections and Resolutions.
1. Pray to God, and throw yourself into His Arms. O Lord, be Thou my stay in that day of anguish! May that hour be blessed and favourable to me, if all the rest of my life be full of sadness and trial.
2. Despise the world. Forasmuch as I know not the hour in which I must quit the world, I will not grow fond of it. O dear friends, beloved ones of my heart, be content that I cleave to you only with a holy friendship which may last for ever; why should I cling to you with a tie which must needs be broken?
I will prepare for the hour of death and take every precaution for its peaceful arrival; I will thoroughly examine into the state of my conscience, and put in order whatever is wanting. 38
Conclusion.
Thank God for inspiring you with these resolutions: offer them to His Majesty: intreat Him anew to grant you a happy death by the Merits of His Dear Son’s Death. Ask the prayers of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints. OUR FATHER, etc.
Gather a bouquet of myrrh.