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CONTENTS

Title Page 

Foreword 

Contents 

Book One. Thoughts Helpful in the Life of the Soul 

Chapter 1. Imitating Christ and Despising All Vanities on Earth 

Chapter 2. Having a Humble Opinion of Self 

Chapter 3. The Doctrine of Truth 

Chapter 4. Prudence in Action 

Chapter 5. Reading the Holy Scripture 

Chapter 6. Unbridled Affections 

Chapter 7. Avoiding False Hope and Pride 

Chapter 8. Shunning Over-Familiarity 

Chapter 9. Obedience and Subjection 

Chapter 10. Avoiding Idle Talk 

Chapter 11. Acquiring Peace and Zeal for Perfection 

Chapter 12. The Value of Adversity 

Chapter 13. Resisting Temptation 

Chapter 14. Avoiding Rash Judgment 

Chapter 15. Works Done in Charity 

Chapter 16. Bearing with the Faults of Others 

Chapter 17. Monastic Life 

Chapter 18. The Example Set Us by the Holy Fathers 

Chapter 19. The Practices of a Good Religious 

Chapter 20. The Love of Solitude and Silence 

Chapter 21. Sorrow of Heart 

Chapter 22. Thoughts on the Misery of Man 

Chapter 23. Thoughts on Death 

Chapter 24. Judgment and the Punishment of Sin 

Chapter 25. Zeal in Amending our Lives 

Book Two. The Interior Life 

Chapter 1. Meditation 

Chapter 2. Humility 

Chapter 3. Goodness and Peace in Man 

Chapter 4. Purity of Mind and Unity of Purpose 

Chapter 5. Ourselves 

Chapter 6. The Joy of a Good Conscience 

Chapter 7. Loving Jesus Above All Things 

Chapter 8. The Intimate Friendship of Jesus 

Chapter 9. Wanting No Share in Comfort 

Chapter 10. Appreciating God's Grace 

Chapter 11. Few Love the Cross of Jesus 

Chapter 12. The Royal Road of the Holy Cross 

Book Three. Internal Consolation 

Chapter 1. The Inward Conversation of Christ with the Faithful Soul 

Chapter 2. Truth Speaks Inwardly Without the Sound of Words 

Chapter 3. Listen Humbly to the Words of God. Many Do Not Heed Them 

Chapter 4. We Must Walk Before God in Humility and Truth 

Chapter 5. The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love 

Chapter 6. The Proving of a True Lover 

Chapter 7. Grace Must Be Hidden Under the Mantle of Humility 

Chapter 8. Self-Abasement in the Sight of God 

Chapter 9. All Things should be Referred to God as their Last End 

Chapter 10. To Despise the World and Serve God is Sweet 

Chapter 11. The Longings of our Hearts Must be Examined and Moderated 

Chapter 12. Acquiring Patience in the Fight Against Concupiscence 

Chapter 13. The Obedience of One Humbly Subject to the Example of Jesus Christ 

Chapter 14. Consider the Hidden Judgments of God Lest You Become Proud of Your Own Good Deeds 

Chapter 15. How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing 

Chapter 16. True Comfort Is to Be Sought in God Alone 

Chapter 17. All Our Care is to Be Placed in God 

Chapter 18. Temporal Sufferings Should Be Borne Patiently, After the Example of Christ 

Chapter 19. True Patience in Suffering 

Chapter 20. Confessing Our Weakness in the Miseries of Life 

Chapter 21. Above All Goods and All Gifts We Must Rest in God 

Chapter 22. Remember the Innumerable Gifts of God 

Chapter 23. Four Things Which Bring Great Peace 

Chapter 24. Avoiding Curious Inquiry About the Lives of Others 

Chapter 25. The Basis of Firm Peace of Heart and True Progress 

Chapter 26. The Excellence of a Free Mind, Gained Through Prayer Rather Than By Study 

Chapter 27. Self-Love is the Greatest Hindrance to the Highest Good 

Chapter 28. Strength Against Slander 

Chapter 29. How We Must Call Upon and Bless the Lord When Trouble Presses 

Chapter 30. The Quest of Divine Help and Confidence in Regaining Grace 

Chapter 31. To Find the Creator, Forsake All Creatures 

Chapter 32. Self-Denial and the Renunciation of Evil Appetites 

Chapter 33. Restlessness of Soul—Directing Our Final Intention Toward God 

Chapter 34. God is Sweet Above All Things and in All Things to Those Who Love Him 

Chapter 35. There is No Security from Temptation in This Life 

Chapter 36. The Vain Judgments of Men 

Chapter 37. Pure and Entire Resignation of Self to Obtain Freedom of Heart 

Chapter 38. The Right Ordering of External Affairs; Recourse to God in Dangers 

Chapter 39. A Man Should Not Be Unduly Solicitous About His Affairs 

Chapter 40. Man Has No Good in Himself and Can Glory in Nothing 

Chapter 41. Contempt for All Earthly Honor 

Chapter 42. Peace is Not to Be Placed in Men 

Chapter 43. Beware Vain and Worldly Knowledge 

Chapter 44. Do Not Be Concerned About Outward Things 

Chapter 45. All Men Are Not to Be Believed, for It Is Easy to Err in Speech 

Chapter 46. Trust in God Against Slander 

Chapter 47. Every Trial Must Be Borne for the Sake of Eternal Life 

Chapter 48. The Day of Eternity and the Distresses of This Life 

Chapter 49. The Desire of Eternal Life; the Great Rewards Promised to Those Who Struggle 

Chapter 50. How a Desolate Person Ought to Commit Himself Into the Hands of God 

Chapter 51. When We Cannot Attain to the Highest, We Must Practice the Humble Works 

Chapter 52. A Man Ought Not to Consider Himself Worthy of Consolation, But Rather Deserving of Chastisement 

Chapter 53. God's Grace Is Not Given to the Earthly Minded 

Chapter 54. The Different Motions of Nature and Grace 

Chapter 55. The Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace 

Chapter 56. We Ought to Deny Ourselves and Imitate Christ Through Bearing the Cross 

Chapter 57. A Man Should Not Be Too Downcast When He Falls Into Defects 

Chapter 58. High Matters and the Hidden Judgments of God Are Not to Be Scrutinized 

Chapter 59. All Hope and Trust Are to Be Fixed In God Alone 

Book Four. An Invitation to Holy Communion 

Chapter 1. The Great Reverence With Which We Should Receive Christ 

Chapter 2. God's Great Goodness and Love is Shown to Man in This Sacrament 

Chapter 3. It Is Profitable to Receive Communion Often 

Chapter 4. Many Blessings Are Given Those Who Receive Communion Worthily 

Chapter 5. The Dignity of the Sacrament and of the Priesthood 

Chapter 6. An Inquiry on the Proper Thing to Do Before Communion 

Chapter 7. The Examination of Conscience and the Resolution to Amend 

Chapter 8. The Offering of Christ on the Cross; Our Offering 

Chapter 9. We Should Offer Ourselves and All That We Have to God, Praying for All 

Chapter 10. Do Not Lightly Forego Holy Communion 

Chapter 11. The Body of Christ and Sacred Scripture Are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul 

Chapter 12. The communicant Should Prepare Himself for Christ with Great Care 

Chapter 13. With All Her Heart the Devout Soul Should Desire Union with Christ in the Sacrament 

Chapter 14. The Ardent Longing of Devout Men for the Body of Christ 

Chapter 15. The Grace of Devotion is Acquired Through Humility and Self-Denial 

Chapter 16. We Should Show Our Needs to Christ and Ask His Grace 

Chapter 17. The Burning Love and Strong Desire to Receive Christ 

Chapter 18. Man Should Not Scrutinize This Sacrament in Curiosity, But Humbly Imitate Christ and Submit Reason to Holy Faith 

Indexes 

Index of Subjects 

Index of Names 

List of Scripture References 

 

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