Introduction to the Devout Life

by Saint Francis de Sales

120 chapters10h 11mEnglish

About this book

First published in the early 17th century, it has proven its value as a daily spiritual guide and helpful reference for living an authentic Christian life. Written specifically for laymen, it began as letters from Saint Francis to a married woman who was seeking holiness amidst the distractions of her life of wealth and status. It contains treasures of wisdom for every reader, from eager beginner to lifelong Christian. Summary by Wikipedia and Phil Chenevert.

Chapters (119)

1Part I COUNSELS FOR THE SOUL'S GUIDANCE Ch 1: What True Devotion is

350

2Part 1 Ch 2. The Nature and Excellence of Devotion..

314

3Part 1 Ch 3 Devotion is suitable to every Vocation and Profession

279

4Part 1 Ch 4.The Need of a Guide for those who would enter upon and advance in the Devout Life.

354

5Part 1 Ch 5. The First Step must be Purifying the Soul.

279

6Part 1 Ch 6. The First Purification, namely, from Mortal Sin.

180

7Part 1 Ch 7. The Second Purification, from all Sinful Affections.

227

8Part 1 Ch 8. How to effect this Second Purification

247

9Part 1 Ch 9. First Meditation Of the End for which we were Created

234

10Part 1 Ch 10. Second Meditation-Of the End for which we were Created

234

11Part 1 Ch 11. Third Meditation - On the Gifts of God.

223

12Part 1 Ch 12. Fourth Meditation.- On Sin

281

13Part 1 Ch 13. Fifth Meditation - Of Death

333

14Part 1 Ch 14 - Sixth Meditation - Of Judgment

307

15Part 1 Ch. 15 - Seventh Meditation - Of Hell

230

16Part 1 Ch. 16 - Eighth Meditation - On Paradise

256

17Part 1 Ch. 17 - Ninth Meditation - On the Choice Between Heaven and Hell

220

18Part 1 Ch 18 - Tenth Meditation - How the Soul chooses the Devout Life.

262

19Part 1 Ch 19 - How to make a General Confession.

168

20Part 1 Ch 20 - A hearty Protest made with the object of confirming the Soul’s resolution to serve God, as a conclusion to its acts of Penitence.

293

21Part 1 Ch 21 - Conclusion of this First Purification.

152

22Part 1 Ch 22 - The Necessity of Purging away all tendency to Venial Sins.

277

23Part 1 Ch 23 - It is needful to put away all Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things.

169

24Part 1 Ch 24 - All Evil Inclinations must be purged away.

146

25Part 2 COUNCILS ON THE NECESSITY OF UPLIFTING THE SOUL TO GOD - Ch 1 - The Necessity of Prayer.

331

26Part 2 Ch 2 - A short Method of Meditation. And first, the Presence of God, the First Point of Preparation.

288

27Part 2 Ch 3 - Invocation, the Second Point of Preparation.

28Part 2 Ch 4 - the Third Point of Preparation, representing the Mystery to be meditated to Your Imagination.

143

29Part 2 Ch 5 - Considerations, the Second Part of Meditation.

100

30Part 2 Ch 6 - The Third Part of Meditation, Affections and Resolutions.

123

31Part 2 Ch 7 - The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet

124

32Part 2 Ch 8 - Some Useful Hints as to Meditation.

309

33Part 2 Ch 9 - Concerning Dryness in Meditation.

168

34Part 2 Ch 10 - Morning Prayer.

196

35Part 2 Ch 11 - Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience

125

36Part 2 Ch 12 - On Spiritual Retirement.

265

37Part 2 Ch 13 - Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayer and Holy Thoughts.

597

38Part 2 Ch 14 - Of Holy Communion, and how to join in it.

270

39Part 2 Ch 15 - Of the other Public Offices of the Church.

134

40Part 2 Ch 16 - How the Saints are united to us.

182

41Part 2 Ch 17 - How to Hear and Read God’s Word.

146

42Part 2 Ch 18 - How to receive Inspirations.

326

43Part 2 Ch 19 - On Confession

415

44Part 2 Ch 20 - Of Frequent Communion.

346

45Part 2 Ch 21 - How to Communicate.

269

46Part 3 THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE - Ch 1 - How to select that which we should chiefly Practice.

609

47Part 3 Ch 2 - The same Subject continued.

505

48Part 3 Ch 3 - On Patience.

645

49Part 3 Ch 4 - On Greater Humility

419

50Part 3 Ch 5 - On Interior Humility.

656

51Part 3 Ch 6 - Humility makes us rejoice in our own Abjection.

492

52Part 3 Ch 7 - How to combine due care for a Good Reputation with Humility

523

53Part 3 Ch 8 - Gentleness towards others and Remedies against Anger.

564

54Part 3 Ch 9 - On Gentleness towards Ourselves

323

55Part 3 Ch 10 - We must attend to the Business of Life carefully, but without Eagerness or Over-anxiety.

354

56Part 3 Ch 11 - On Obedience.

401

57Part 3 Ch 12 - On Purity.

239

58Part 3 Ch 13 - How to maintain Purity.

261

59Part 3 Ch 14 - On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches.

358

60Part 3 Ch 15 - How to exercise real Poverty, although actually Rich.

507

61Part 3 Ch 16 - How to possess a rich Spirit amid real Poverty.

253

62Part 3 Ch 17 - On Friendship: Evil and Frivolous Friendship.

273

63Part 3 Ch 18 - On Frivolous Attachments

362

64Part 3 Ch 19 - Of Real Friendship.

360

65Part 3 Ch 20 - Of the Difference between True and False Friendship.

269

66Part 3 Ch 21 - Remedies against Evil Friendships.

427

67Part 3 Ch 22 - Further Advice concerning Intimacies.

298

68Part 3 Ch 23 - On The Practice of Bodily Mortification.

645

69Part 3 Ch 24 - Of Society and Solitude.

391

70Part 3 Ch 25 - On Modesty in Dress.

288

71Part 3 Ch 26 - Of Conversation; and, first, how to Speak of God

196

72Part 3 Ch 27 - Of Unseemly Words, and the Respect due to Others.

304

73Part 3 Ch 28 - Of Hasty Judgments.

710

74Part 3 Ch 29 - On Slander.

747

75Part 3 Ch 30 - Further Counsels as to Conversation.

298

76Part 3 Ch 31 - Of Amusements and Recreations: what are allowable.

213

77Part 3 Ch 32 - Of Forbidden Amusements.

154

78Part 3 Ch 33 - Of Balls, and other Lawful but Dangerous Amusements.

377

79Part 3 Ch 34 - When to use such Amusements rightly.

171

80Part 3 Ch 35 - We must be Faithful in Things Great and Small.

373

81Part 3 Ch 36 - Of a Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind.

282

82Part 3 Ch 37 - Of Wishes.

312

83Part 3 Ch 38 - Counsels to Married People.

859

84Part 3 Ch 39 - The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed.

120

85Part 3 Ch 40 - Counsels to Widows.

589

86Part 3 Ch 41 - One Word to Maidens.

102

87Part 4 CONCERNING ORDINARY TEMPTATIONS - Ch 1 We must not trifle with the Words of Worldly Wisdom.

436

88Part 4 Ch 2 - The need of a Good Courage

228

89Part 4 Ch 3 - Of Temptations, and the difference between experiencing them and consenting to them.

401

90Part 4 Ch 4 - Two striking Illustrations of the same

215

91Part 4 Ch 5 - Encouragement for the Tempted Soul.

201

92Part 4 Ch 6 - When Temptation and Delectation are Sin.

316

93Part 4 Ch 7 - Remedies for Great Occasions.

286

94Part 4 Ch 8 - How to resist Minor Temptations.

160

95Part 4 Ch 9 - How remedy Minor Temptations.

174

96Part 4 Ch 10 - How to strengthen the Heart against Temptation.

180

97Part 4 Ch 11 - Anxiety of Mind.

343

98Part 4 Ch 12 - Of Sadness and Sorrow.

316

99Part 4 Ch 13 - Of Spiritual and Sensible Consolations, and how to receive them.

888

100Part 4 Ch 14 - Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness

626

101Part 4 Ch 15 - An Illustration.

437

102Part 5 PRACTICES FOR RENEWING AND CONFIRMING THE SOUL IN DEVOTION. Ch 1 - It is well yearly to renew Good Resolutions by means of the following Exercises.

191

103Part 5 Ch 2 - Meditation on the Benefit conferred on us by God in calling us to His Service.

299

104Part 5 Ch 3 - Examination of the Soul as to its Progress in the Devout Life

273

105Part 5 Ch 4 - Examination of the Soul’s Condition as regards God.

408

106Part 5 Ch 5 - Examination of your Condition as regards yourself.

207

107Part 5 Ch 6 - Examination of the Soul’s Condition as regards our Neighbour.

120

108Part 5 Ch 7 - Examination as to the Affectations of the Soul.

214

109Part 5 Ch 8 - The Affections to be excited after such Examination.

127

110Part 5 Ch 9 - Reflections suitable to the renewal of Good Resolutions.

111Part 5 Ch 10 - First Consideration—of the Worth of Souls.

202

112Part 5 Ch 11 - Second Consideration—on the Excellence of Virtue.

137

113Part 5 Ch 12 - The Example of the Saints.

126

114Part 5 Ch 13 - The Love which Jesus Christ bears to us.

226

115Part 5 Ch 14 - The Eternal Love of God for us.

120

116Part 5 Ch 15 - General Affections which should result from these Considerations, and Conclusion of the Exercise.

166

117Part 5 Ch 16 - The Impressions which should remain after this Exercise.

126

118Part 5 Ch 17 - An Answer to Two Objections which may be made to this Book.

217

119Part 5 Ch 18 - Three Important and Final Counsels.

262

Introduction to the Devout Life

About this book

Chapters (119)

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