Introduction to the Devout Life

Part 1
Counsels and practices suitable for the soul's guidance from
the first aspiration after a devout life to the point when it
attains a confirmed resolution to follow the same
1 What true devotion is 9
2 The nature and excellence of devotion 11
3 Devotion is suitable to every vocation and profession 13
4 The need of a guide for those who would enter upon
and advance in the devout life 15
5 The first step must be purifying the soul 18
6 The first purification, from mortal sin 20
7 The second purification, from all sinful affections 21
8 How to effect this second purification 22
9 First meditation 24
10 Second meditation 26
11 Third meditation 28
12 Fourth meditation 30
13 Fifth meditation 32
14 Sixth meditation 34
15 Seventh meditation 36
16 Eighth meditation 37
17 Ninth meditation 39
18 Tenth meditation 40
19 How to make a general confession 43
20 A hearty protestation made with the object of confirming
the soul's resolution to serve God, as a conclusion to its
acts of penitence 44
21 Conclusion of this first purification 46
22 The necessity of purging away all tendency to venial sins 47
23 It is needful to put away all inclination for useless and
dangerous things 49
24 All evil inclinations must be purged away 50
Part 2
Containing sundry counsels as to uplifting the soul
to God in prayer and the use of the sacraments
1 The necessity of prayer 53
2 A short method of meditation. And first, the presence of
God, the first point of preparation 55
3 Invocation: the second point of preparation 57
4 The third point of preparation: representing the mystery
to be meditated to your imagination 58
5 Considerations: the second part of meditation 59
6 The third part of meditation: affections and resolutions 60
7 The conclusion and spiritual bouquet 61
8 Some useful hints as to meditation 62
9 Concerning dryness in meditation 64
10 Morning prayer 65
11 Evening prayer and examination of conscience 66
12 On spiritual retirement 67
13 Aspirations, arrow-like prayers and holy thoughts 69
14 Of Holy Communion and how to join in it 74
15 Of the other public offices of the Church 76
16 How the saints are united to us 77
17 How to hear and read God's word 79
18 How to receive inspirations 80
19 On confession 82
20 Of frequent communion 85
21 How to communicate 88
Part 3
Containing counsels concerning the practice of virtue
1 How to select that which we should chiefly practise 93
2 The same subject continued 97
3 On patience 100
4 On greater humility 104
5 On interior humility 107
6 Humility makes us rejoice in our own abjection 111
7 How to combine due care for a good reputation
with humility 114
8 Gentleness towards others and remedies against
anger 117
9 On gentleness towards ourselves 121
10 We must attend to the business of life carefully, but
without eagerness or over-anxiety 123
11 On obedience 125
12 On purity 127
13 How to maintain purity 129
14 On poverty of spirit amid riches 130
15 How to exercise real poverty, although actually rich 133
16 How to possess a rich spirit amid real poverty 136
17 On friendship: evil and frivolous friendship 137
18 On frivolous attachments 139
19 Of real friendship 141
20 Of the difference between true and false friendship 143
21 Remedies against evil friendships 145
22 Further advice concerning intimacies 148
23 On the practice of bodily mortification 150
24 Of society and solitude 154
25 On modesty in dress 157
26 Of conversation: and, first, how to speak of God 159
27 Of unseemly words and the respect due to others 160
28 Of hasty judgements 162
29 On slander 166
30 Further counsels as to conversation 171
31 Of amusements and recreations: what are allowable 173
32 Of forbidden amusements 174
33 Of balls and other lawful but dangerous amusements 175
34 When to use such amusements rightly 177
35 We must be faithful in things great and small 178
36 Of a well-balanced, reasonable mind 180
37 Of wishes 182
38 Counsels to married people 184
39 The sanctity of the marriage bed 190
40 Counsels to widows 191
41 One word to maidens 195
Part 4
Containing needful counsels concerning
some ordinary temptations
1 We must not trifle with the words of worldly wisdom 199
2 The need of a good courage 201
3 Of temptations and the difference between experiencing
them and consenting to them 203
4 Two striking illustrations of the same 205
5 Encouragement for the tempted soul 207
6 When temptation and delectation are sin 208
7 Remedies for great occasions 210
8 How to resist minor temptations 211
9 How to remedy minor temptations 212
10 How to strengthen the heart against temptation 214
11 Anxiety of mind 215
12 Of sadness and sorrow 217
13 Of spiritual and sensible consolations and how to
receive them 220
14 Of dryness and spiritual barrenness 226
15 An illustration 231
Part 5
Containing counsels and practices for renewing
and confirming the soul in devotion
1 It is well yearly to renew good resolutions by means of
the following exercises 237
2 Meditation on the benefit conferred on us by God in
calling us to his service 238
3 Examination of the soul as to its progress in the
devout life 240
4 Examination of the soul's condition as regards God 242
5 Examination of your condition as regards yourself 244
6 Examination of the soul's condition as regards our
neighbour 245
7 Examination as to the affectations of the soul 246
8 The affections to be exercised after such examination 247
9 Reflections suitable to the renewal of good resolutions 248
10 First consideration: of the worth of souls 248
11 Second consideration: on the excellence of virtue 249
12 The example of the saints 250
13 The love which Jesus Christ bears to us 251
14 The eternal love of God for us 252
15 General affections which should result from these
considerations, and conclusion of the exercise 253
16 The impressions which should remain after this exercise 254
17 An answer to two objections which may be made to
this book 255
18 Three important and final counsels 256
Notes 259