Holy Wisdom: Directions for the Prayer of Contemplation

About this book

Holy Wisdom is a large guide to contemplative prayer by Augustine Baker, the English Benedictine monk, published after his death in 1657. Baker directs souls who are called beyond vocal prayer toward quiet, interior recollection, gathering counsel from many earlier spiritual writers. Long used in English convents and monasteries, it remains a standard manual of the contemplative way.

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 🔒