Holy Wisdom: Directions for the Prayer of Contemplation

About this book

A guide to contemplative prayer

Text from Christian Classics Ethereal Library; in the public domain.

Contents

1. Editor’s Preface
2. Approbations
3. Author’s Preface
4. Chapter I. The Nature and End of an Internal Life
5. Chapter II. Of Natural Propensions to Devotion
6. Chapter III. Of a State Contemplative and Active
7. Chapter IV. Of the Necessity of a Strong Resolution
8. Chapter V. Of the Danger of a Tepid Life
9. Chapter VI. The Parable of a Pilgrim
10. Chapter I. Two Internal Guides in all Christians
11. Chapter II. Of an External Director
12. Chapter III. Of reading Spiritual Books
13. Chapter IV. Of immediate Divine Inspirations
14. Chapter V. Impediments to Divine Inspirations
15. Chapter VI. How God communicates Internal Light
16. Chapter VII. How to obtain Light in Doubtful Cases
17. Chapter VIII. What is the certainty of Divine Inspiration?
18. Chapter IX. Divine Calls do not prejudice Authority
19. Chapter I. All Conditions capable of Contemplation
20. Chapter II. These Instructions Profitable to Seculars
21. Chapter III. The Great Advantages of a Religious State
22. Chapter IV. A State of Introversion is the end of Religion
23. Chapter V. How Far Ignorance will excuse Religious Persons
24. Chapter VI. The Contemplation of the Primitive Monks
25. Chapter VII. The Special Duties of Religious Persons
26. Chapter VIII. The Duties of Superiors
27. Chapter IX. The Duties of Novices
28. Chapter X. Of the Apostolical Mission into England
29. Chapter I. All duties contained in Mortification and Prayer
30. Chapter II. Mortification of an Affection to Venial Sins
31. Chapter III. Absolute Necessity of Mortification
32. Chapter IV. General Rules of Mortification
33. Chapter V. Of Mortifications, Voluntary and Necessary
34. Chapter VI. Of Abstraction of Life, and Solitude
35. Chapter VII. Of Silence
36. Chapter VIII. Of Tranquillity of Mind
37. Chapter I. Of Special Mortifications
38. Chapter II. Of the Mortification of Love
39. Chapter III. The Nature and Acts of Divine Charity
40. Chapter IV. Of Purity of Intention
41. Chapter V. The Order and Degrees of Charity to others
42. Chapter VI. Of Temperance in Refection
43. Chapter VII. Of Patience
44. Chapter VIII. Of Scrupulosity
45. Chapter IX. Of Scruples arising from Inward Sources
46. Chapter X. Of Scruples concerning External Duties
47. Chapter XI. Of Scruples concerning Confession
48. Chapter XII. Of Scruples concerning Vocation
49. Chapter XIII. Of Humility
50. Chapter XIV. Of Obedience
51. Chapter XV. Of Virtues in General
52. The Third Treatise. Of Prayer.
53. Chapter I. The Excellency of Prayer in General
54. Chapter II. Of Vocal Prayer
55. Chapter III. The Excellency of Internal Affective Prayer
56. Chapter IV. Of Prayer without Ceasing
57. Chapter V. Of Sensible Devotion
58. Chapter VI. Of Distractions
59. Chapter VII. The Doctrine of Fr. Baltazar Alvarez, S.J. Defended
60. Chapter I. The degrees of Prayer
61. Chapter II. Of Meditation
62. Chapter III. How Meditation is to be Exercised
63. Chapter IV. Of set Retirements for Meditation
64. Chapter V. Signs when a Change of Prayer is Seasonable
65. Chapter I. Of Acts of the Will and Affections
66. Chapter II. Variety of Acts, how to be exercised
67. Chapter III. Of the Exercise of Acts of Resignation
68. Chapter IV. How Prayer is to be Exercised in Distractive Offices
69. Chapter V. How Prayer is to be Practised in Sickness
70. Chapter VI. Of Spiritual Discretion
71. Chapter VII. Of the Prayer of Interior Silence
72. Chapter I. Of Contemplation in General
73. Chapter II. Of the Prayer of Aspirations
74. Chapter III. Of Passive Unions
75. Chapter IV. Of a Passive Union purely Intellectual
76. Chapter V. OF the Great Desolation
77. Chapter VI. OF the State of Perfection
78. An Advertisement to the Reader
79. A Postscript to the Reader
80. A Memorial by Fr. Leander
81. To the Devout Reader
82. Acts upon the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ
83. Psalmus de Passione D. N. Jesu Christi
84. Holy Exercises of Contrition
85. Actus Contritionis, &c.
86. Holy Exercises of Pure Love to God
87. Certain Amorous Desires, &c.
88. Certain Amorous Speeches of the Soul to Herself in Prayer
89. Holy Exercises of Acts of the Will
90. Holy Exercises of Resignation
91. A Daily Constant Exercise
92. Exercitium Quotidianum
93. Subject Index