Secret of Sanctity
CONTENTS.
PART FIRST.— SANCTIFICATION OF OUR ACTIONS.
Chapter I. — Of the Regulation of our Actions,
Chapter II.— The First Actions of the Day, The First-fruits of our Actions
Chapter III. — Mental and Vocal Prayer
Chapter V. — On the Presence of God
Chapter VI. — Advice on Prayer
Chapter VII.— St. Francis de Sales’ Rules for Meditation
Chapter VIII.— The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Chapter IX.— The two Examens
Chapter X. — Of Confession and Direction
Chapter XII.— The Occupations of the Day
Chapter XIII.— Of a State of Life
Chapter XIV.— Of the Exercise of One’s Charge
Chapter XV. — Of Visits and Conversation
Chapter XVII.— Visits to the Blessed Sacrament
Chapter XVIII.— Spiritual Recollection
Chapter XIX. — Of Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayers, and Good Thoughts
Chapter XX. — St. Francis de Sales’ Manner of Performing his Actions
PART SECOND.— THE INTERIOR LIFE.
First Treatise. — The Sources of our Imperfections and their Remedies
Second Treatise. — Mortification
I. — True Idea of Mortification
II. — Necessity of Mortification
III. — Reply to Various Objections
IV. — Benefits and Advantages of Mortification
V. — Discretion in the Use of Mortification
Chapter I. — The Excellence and Necessity of Mental Prayer,
Chapter II. — Dispositions for Prayer
Chapter III. — Various Kinds of Prayer
Chapter VI. — Causes of Distractions and Aridity
Chapter VII. — We must never be troubled because of Distractions and Aridity
Chapter VIII. — Remedies for Distractions
Chapter IX. — First Means of Devotion
Chapter X. — Second Means of Devotion
Chapter XI. — Third Means of Devotion
Chapter XII. — Fourth Means of Devotion
Chapter XIII. — Fifth Means of Devotion
Chapter XIV. — Sixth Means of Devotion
Chapter XV. — Seventh Means of Devotion
Chapter XVI. — Last Means of Devotion
Fourth Treatise. — The Devotion of Calvary
First Instruction. — How Important it is to Meditate on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Second Instruction. — A New Manner of Meditating on the Passion
Third Instruction. — What they should do who cannot Meditate on the Passion
Fourth Instruction.— What they should do who have ceased to be able to Meditate on the Passion
Fifth Instruction.— In what Manner Perfect Souls may Meditate on the Passion
Fifth Treatise.— The Interior Life
Chapter I. Article I. — In what Interior Life consists
Article II. — How we ought to imitate the Interior Life of God
Article III. — How it is that we make so Little Progress in the Interior Life
Chapter II. — Of the Motives that lead us to the Interior Life
Chapter III. — The Occupations of the Interior Life
Article I. — Of Watchfulness over our Interior
Article II. — How Important it is that we should join the Interior with our Exterior Occupations
Article III. — We ought not to engage in Exterior Occupations of our own Accord
Chapter IV. — Advice for the Interior Life
Article IV — We ought to cultivate the Will more than the Understanding
Article II.— The Path of Faith is a Safer Way to Perfection than that of Sensible Graces
Article III. — The Best Mode of Practising the Virtues
Sixth Treatise. — Means of Acquiring Perfection
PART THIRD.— UNION WITH GOD BY CONTEMPLATION.
Chapter I. — Union of the Soul with a God through Contemplation
Chapter II. — The Doctrine of St. Francis de Sales in regard to Contemplation
Divine Love seeks Solitude and Silence
Difference between Meditation and Contemplation
The Knowledge of God is less necessary to us than Love
How Contemplation reduces all this to simple Unity
The Various Means which lead to Contemplation
Love collects the Powers of the Soul
Recollection is frequently produced and increased by a Gentle, Reverent Fear
Of the Repose of a Soul recollected in God
Of the Manner in which the Soul enjoys Repose in God in the Prayer of Quiet
Self-denial is the Safest Means of establishing ourselves in the Presence of God
Perfect Submission to the Will of God keeps the Soul in continual Prayer
Chapter III.— Letter of St. Francis de Sales to St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Chapter IV.— The Continual Prayer of St. Francis de Sales
Chapter V.— The Life of Jesus in Mary