Title Page

INTRODUCTION

SECTION I.--Hidden Operations of God.

SECTION II.--The Duties of Each Moment.

SECTION III.--The Work of our Sanctification.

SECTION IV.--In what Perfection Consists.

SECTION V.--The Divine Influence alone can Sanctify Us.

SECTION VI.--On the Use of Mental Faculties.

SECTION VII.--On the Attainment of Peace.

SECTION VIII.--To Estimate Degrees of Excellence.

SECTION IX.--Sanctity Made Easy.

SECTION I.--The Divine Action.

SECTION II.--By Faith the Operation of God is recognised.

SECTION III.--How to Discover what is the Will of God.

SECTION IV.--The Revelations of God.

SECTION V.--The action of Jesus Christ in the Souls of Men.

SECTION VI.--The Treatment of the Divine Action.

SECTION VII.--The Hidden Work of Divine Love.

SECTION VIII.--Experimental Science.

SECTION IX.--The Will of God in the Present Moment is the Source of Sanctity.

SECTION X.--God Makes Known His Will Through Creatures.

SECTION XI.--Everything is Supernaturalised by the Divine Action.

SECTION XII.--The Divine Word our Model.

SECTION I.--The life of God in the soul.

SECTION II.--The most perfect way.

SECTION III.--Abandonment a Pledge of Predestination.

SECTION IV.--Abandonment a Source of Joy.

SECTION V.--The Great Merit of Pure Faith.

SECTION VI.--Submission a Free Gift to God.

SECTION VII.--Submission a Free Gift to God.

SECTION VIII.--God Reigns in a Pure Heart.

SECTION I.--Sacrifice, the Foundation of Sanctity.

SECTION II.--The Pains and Consolations of Abandonment.

SECTION III.--The Different Duties of Abandonment.

SECTION IV.--God Does All for a Soul of Goodwill.

SECTION V.--The Common Way of all Souls.

SECTION VI.--The Duty of the Present Moment the Only Rule.

SECTION VII.--Trust in the guidance of God.

SECTION VIII.--Great Faith is Necessary.

SECTION I.--Unwise Interference.

SECTION II.--Unjust Judgments.

SECTION III.--Self-Contempt.

SECTION IV.--Distrust of Self.

SECTION V.--The Life of Faith.

SECTION I.--Confidence in God.

SECTION II.--Diversity of Grace.

SECTION III.--The Generosity of God.

SECTION IV.--The Most Ordinary Things are Channels of Grace.

SECTION V.--Nature and Grace the Instruments of God.

SECTION VI.--Supernatural Prudence.

SECTION VII.--Conviction of Weakness.

SECTION VIII.--Self-guidance a Mistake.

SECTION IX.--Divine Love, the Principle of All Good.

SECTION X.--We Must see God in all His Creatures.

SECTION XI.--The Strength of Simplicity.

SECTION XII.--The Triumph of Humility.

SPIRITUAL COUNSELS OF FR. DE CAUSSADE

I.--Conformity to the Will of God.

II.--Counsel for Outward Behaviour.

III.--Interior Direction.

IV.--Conduct after Faults.

V.--Temptations and Trials.

LETTERS ON THE PRACTICE OF ABANDONMENT TO DIVINE PROVIDENCE. FIRST BOOK. ON THE ESTEEM FOR AND LOVE OF THIS VIRTUE.

Letter I.--Happiness and Peace of Abandonment.

Letter II.--A Short Way to Perfection.

Letter III.--Peace in Turmoil.

Letter IV.--Liberty of Spirit.

Letter V.--Recourse to Providence.

Letter VI.--Alone with God.

Letter VII.--A Holy Community.

Letter VIII.--Our Dependence on God.

Letter IX.--The Goodness of God.

Letter X.--Continued Troubles.

Letter XI.--Good Wishes.

SECOND BOOK: ON THE EXERCISE OF THE VIRTUE OF ABANDONMENT

Letter I.--Some General Principles.

Letter II.--The Three Degrees of Virtue.

Letter III.--The First Work of God in the Soul.

Letter IV.--Practice of Abandonment.

Letter V.--Means of Acquiring this Practice.

Letter VI.--Rules for General Direction.

Letter VII.--Rules for Direction.

Letter VIII.--Advice on Prayer.

Letter IX.--Danger of Delusion Explained.

Letter X.--Delusions in Prayer.

Letter XI.--The Impressions of the Holy Spirit.

Letter XII.--Peace and Submission.

Letter XIII.--Peace and Confidence.

Letter XIV.--Singular Favours of God.

Letter XV.--Heartfelt Prayer.

Letter XVI.--The Operations of Grace.

Letter XVII.--Attraction to the Interior Life.

Letter XVIII.--Desires to be Moderated.

Letter XIX.--To Aim at Simplicity.

Letter XX.--Holy Simplicity.

Letter XXI.--Different Attractions of Grace.

Letter XXII.--Fidelity to the Call of God.

Letter XXIII.--The Value of Good Desires.

Letter XXIV.--The Call of God a Sign of Predestination.

Letter XXV.--God Only Desires What We are Able to Give.

Letter XXVI.--Abandonment as to Employments and Undertakings.

Letter XXVII.--Acceptance of Duties.

Letter XXVIII.--To Will Only What God Wills.

Letter XXIX.--To Leave All to God.

Letter XXX.--Resignation in Sickness.

Letter XXXI.--Conduct in Sickness.

Letter XXXII.--Patience with the Faults of Others.

Letter XXXIII.--Patience with Oneself.

Letter XXXIV.--Preparation for the Sacraments.

Letter XXXV.--Conduct in a Time of Rest.

Letter XXXVI.--On Life and Death.

Letter XXXVI.--Not to Desire Consolations.

THIRD BOOK. ON THE OBSTACLES TO ABANDONMENT.

Letter I.--About Vanity and Infidelities.

Letter II.--The Defects of Beginners.

Letter III.--The Illusions of the Devil.

Letter II.--Interior Troubles.

Letter V.--On the Love of One's Neighbour.

Letter VI.--On Attachments.

Letter VII.--Personal Attachments.

Letter VIII.--On Natural Activity.

Letter IX.--On Excessive Fervour.

Letter X.--Restraint of Over-Eagerness.

Letter XI.--Intemperate Zeal.

Letter XII.--On Obedience.

Letter XIII.--On being Self-Opinionated.

Letter XIV.--On Reserve with a Director.

Letter XIV.--On Discouragement.

Letter XVI.--Fear of Singularity.

FOURTH BOOK: THE FIRST TRIALS OF SOULS CALLED TO THE STATE OF ABANDONMENT. ARIDITIES, WEAKNESSES AND WEARINESS.

Letter I.--Aridity and Weakness.

Letter II.--Different States of the Soul.

Letter III.--Abandonment During Trials.

Letter IV.--Darkness and Doubts.

Letter V.--Distractions in Prayer.

Letter VI.--Fear of Wasting Time.

Letter VII.--On Darkness and Want of Feeling.

Letter VIII.--On Dryness and Distractions.

Letter IX.--Passive Recollection.

Letter X.--The Use of Faults.

Letter XI.--Remembrance of Past Sins.

Letter XII.--How to make use of trials.

Letter XIII.--The Use of Trials continued.

Letter XIV.--Remedies for Troubles.

Letter XV.--Trials to be Endured Peacefully.

Letter XVI.--Sensitiveness about Defects.

Letter XVII.--Confidence in God.

Letter XVIII.--Sacrifice and Fidelity.

Letter XIX.--Glorified by Sufferings.

Letter XX.--The Fruit of Trials.

Letter XXI.--Things Painful to Nature.

FIFTH BOOK: FRESH TRIALS, SUFFERINGS AND PRIVATIONS.

Letter I.--Rules to be Observed in Illness.

Letter II.--Different Sufferings.

Letter III.--On Public Calamities.

Letter IV.--Opportunities for Practising Charity.

Letter V.--Profit to be gained by Patient Endurance.

Letter VI.--Difficulties.

Letter VII.--Rules for Difficult Circumstances.

Letter VIII.--Annoyances caused by Good People.

Letter IX.--How to Bear these Trials.

Letter X.--To see God in our Trials.

Letter XI.--To Seek God's Help Alone.

Letter XII.--God Alone.

Letter XIII.--Reliance on God Alone.

Letter XIV.--Abandonment in Trials.

Letter XV.--The Use of Afflictions.

Letter XVI.--Detachment.

Letter XVII.--Conduct during Trials.

Letter XVIII.--Will of God to be Preferred.

Letter XIX.--The Happiness of Resignation.

SIXTH BOOK: ON THE CONTINUATION OF TRIALS, AND FEAR OF THE ANGER OF GOD.

Letter I.--On Temptations.

Letter II.--The Fear of Temptation.

Letter III.--The State of One Tempted.

Letter IV.--Different Temptations.

Letter V.--The Fear of Being Wanting in Submission.

Letter VI.--Fear Caused by Self-Love.

Letter VII.--The Want of Good-Will.

Letter VIII.--The Love of Creatures and of God.

Letter IX.--The Love of Creatures and of God.

Letter X.--Fear of Making No Progress.

Letter XI.--On Fears About Confession.

Letter XII.--Rules to Free Oneself from these Fears.

Letter XIII.--On Fears About Contrition.

Letter XIV.--On General Confession.

Letter XV.--Different Fears.

Letter XVI.--Hatred of Sin.

Letter XVII.--Remorse and Rebellion.

Letter XVIII.--God Alone can Remove These Trials.

Letter XIX.--On Relapses.

Letter XX.--Depression under Trials.

Letter XXI.--On Humble Silence and Patience During Trials.

Letter XXII.--To Bear With Oneself.

Letter XXIII.--On Past Sins.

Letter XXIV.--Results of Imprudence.

Letter XXV.--Interior Suffering.

Letter XXVI.--On Different States of Resignation.

SEVENTH BOOK: THE LAST TRIALS. AGONY AND MYSTICAL DEATH. THE FRUIT THEREOF.

Letter I.--Temptation to Despair.

Letter II.--Good Symptoms.

Letter III.--Interior Oppression.

Letter IV.--Purification of the Heart.

Letter V.--On Emptiness of Heart.

Letter VI.--Fresh Suffering.

Letter VII.--Supernatural Fears.

Letter VIII.--Violent Temptations.

Letter IX.--Death of Self-Love.

Letter X.--On Mystical Death.

Letter XI.--For the Time of Retreat.

Letter XII.--After the Retreat.

Letter XIII.--The Fear of Reprobation.

Letter XIV.--Explanations and Direction.

Letter XV.--Perfect Detachment.

Letter XVI.--Explanation of Apparent Despair.

Letter XVII.--Abandonment in Trials.

Letter XVIII.--Fruit of Death to Self.