The Way of salvation

Preface

NO subtilty of thought, nor loftiness of words, will be found in the following pages; but the greatest simplicity and the plainest forms of expression. Nothing here will perplex the understanding, but all will powerfully appeal to the heart: for while the following ‘‘ Meditations” are remarkable for the beautiful simplicity of style so peculiar to their Beatified Author, they are not less characterized by profound piety, ardent love of God, and tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God. They are each divided into three points; each point generally includes acts of the love of God, of contrition for sin, and of supplication for final perseverance; and every last point concludes with a short prayer to the ever Blessed Mary.

In a preface to a work similar to the present by the same Blessed Liguori, he says: “I entreat my readers not to be “‘ wearied with the frequent repetition of prayers for the graces “of the love of God and of perseverance: since these two ““ graces are the most necessary for the attainment of eternal “‘salvation.” ‘The grace of divine love,’ says St. Francis of “« Sales, ‘ contains in itself all other graces, because the virtue “‘of charity towards God brings with it all other virtues :’ AZ “* good things came to me together with her. Wisd. vii. 11. He “who loves God is humble, chaste, obedient, mortified, in a “word, he is possessed of all virtues. ‘Love and do what ** you will,’ says St. Augustin, ‘because he who loves God “< carefully avoids every thing that can offend him, and seeks ‘* for nothing but to please him in all things.’ ”

“* The other grace, that of perseverance, is that which enables “us to gain the eternal crown. St. Bernard says: ‘ Heaven “‘ js promised indeed to those who begin a new life, but is given lV.

“‘to those only who persevere in it. ‘ But perseverance,’ as “the Holy Fathers teach, ‘is given to those only who pray for “ it.’ Our Blessed Saviour had before said: That we ought “‘ always to pray and not to faint. St. Luke, xviii. 1. The cause “why so many miserable sinners, although they may have been ‘* pardoned, continue not in the state of grace, is, because they ‘do not pray always, but faint: they receive pardon, but, be- ‘‘ cause they neglect to implore of God the gift of perseverance, ‘“‘ particularly in the time of temptation, relapse into their for- ‘“‘mer sins. On the other hand, although the grace of perse- ‘* verance is entirely gratuitous, and cannot be merited by our “own exertions, ‘ yet,’ says Father Suarez, ‘ it is infallibly to ‘“be obtained by means of prayer;’ St. Augustin having said ‘‘ before him: ‘ The gift of perseverance is to be gained by “ prayer.’”

Blessed Liguori concludes his preface with the following devout offering to Almighty God and pious request to his readers, in which his unworthy translator begs humbly to join ; ‘‘ May all tend to the glory of God! I beg of my readers, when ‘‘they shall read this book, to recommend me whether alive or ‘dead to Jesus Christ; and I promise to do the same for all “who shall do me this charity.”

PART I. Meditations suitable for ali times of the year

On eternal Salvation SU eS FH SR MeL eD Seger eeeeeseneeeeeeese On Sin, as it dishonours God .........00e0ecccceeeeeeeeee, 2 On the patience of God in waiting for sinners ............. 4 Ou the certainty of death thiS USES OR Estes obese easverreee ee O On the loss of all things in death ...........s+0cerecccwcss 7 On the great thought of Eternity iver aus eanswe svaereve ne 9 On the death of Jesus Christ se 4d s Rd ae eC Reed eK SReGS VL On abusing the mercy of GOd) Keseeaewe weather keseane tac Le On the emptiness and shortness of human life ............ 14 On the contempt with which the sinner treats God ........ 16 On the pain of 108s .........ccccccesscccceceecevecscce.. 18 On the particular Judgment .......-......0. 0. cccee cece ce preparing for the particular Ju OC0b taeescietesienen On the sufferings of the souls in hell in their mental faculties On devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary sie aotwoseb las axere Aare Jesus suffering for oursins ..... BER re Ser re re eee On the one thing necessary Se eeeGieae Calesc ta GeN wekneaee wae On the sinner’s disobedience to God... se. ssccsseccuues On the merciful chastisements of God... 0... 000000000. 32 On the patience of God with sinners ........s.ecee0es ses On Death, as the passage to Eternity ........0..sescecees On reforming our lives before death .......s.0++ s+ cece ce 37 On the Lamb of God sacrificed for our sins ..........++0+. On the value of time —........cccccsccccccccccsccccecccce On the terrors of the dying man at the thought of approaching Judgment Oe re eee ew ee er eresreeneeeens sess nsenre 42 On the fire of hell CCHS Oe HCE OTOH Hen ROAM OH HO Oe He ee 44 On the vanity of all worldly things ........csececesseosees 45 On the number of our sins... ......ccccesssccccceccecc.. 47 On the folly of living enemies of God ..........csseee0ee 49 On the sacred wounds of Jesus .....cccecccccceccsccee ce BO On the great affair of salvation ......cccccescessceessece 5B On the uent thought of death .......ccccsesessceeeecs 5B On turning away from God by sin ..........0.6+ cooneeoee OD On the mercy of God in calling sinners to repentance ...... 56 On the soul’s being presented before the tribunal of God .. 58 On the unhappy life of the sinner ..........s.ccesceceesee 59 On the love of Jesus crucified .....cecececccccssecsceeces 61 On the will of God to save all ......cccecocesscovccescees 63 On the near approach of death wo ee cece ee eneeces ka aeceeces 64 On God’s abandoning the sinner in his sing ............... 66 On the examination at the particular Judgment .......... 67 On our journey to Eternity eeeoeeeoeoe een esveoeeebeo ee oeneeeevnes 69 On Jesus, the Man of Sorrows .....cccecccccscscescsceses 10 On the folly of neglecting salvation .......scesccecssceses 72 On the moment of death .......cccccccccccesceccecceeees 13 On the desire of God to save sinners .........sccccceccesee 75 On the sentence Tan Judgment ..cccwcsrveceee 76 On an unprovided deat @eoeee eos eee eeoseeeveeseseoee

ese stonvneeene 78 On the eternity of hell CC CHHHT HO RE HHe HP HEEHE HOH RHO OH HOHE Oe ee eH OD BO 79 On the uncertainty of grace ........ccccsecececeucessceses Bl On the death of Jesus for the love of man ......e+.eseecee = 86 88 89

SEIKBSS

Ss

On the certainty of being either saved or lost ......-s.s.0. On the certainty of death .....cceccscccccetccccccsceececs On the vanity of the world... ..ccccecccsecececcececeecs On provoking God by sin Pe CHO eeHeSEeo et eBeseeeFshesve se Cteeees On the last Judgment CF SFCEOHSSHe FB HSeetF BHF FHS SECC R OHH HE 9} On the intensity of the pains of hell SCoeHeSHeee Cee Ft aeeee eve 92

Vi.

Pare On the love of Christ crucified ...cccccccsccececcacceees 94 On the irretrievable loss of the soul ........cceceececcses 96 On the certainty of death ..... is ” 97 On the love with which God receiv es the repentant sinner. 99

On temptations to relapse ...ccececccccccesccececcescess 100

On the resurrection of the body . sis seeseaoedeenenee 20S On the love of God in giving us his Son ..-s-ses+e.. sooee 108 On labouring in earnest to secure eternal salvation ......- 106

On the appearance of the body immediatel y after death .. 107 On the state of the body in the grave .......ccceeccecees 108 On being quickly forgotten after death . J 110 On the appearance of all mankind in the v alley of Josaphat 112 On the blindness of those who say, if we be lost we shall Not be lost alone . sikiswccies vs esaiveceieresesweevsews AAD On the measure of grace ... eine Ww eee wag LD On loving God because he has died for us - errr erp ree bs On carefully attending to our salvation ......eeeceeceeee 118 On leaving all in death cuséoc seas camieiavecomurscese. 119 On the moment of death ........ ere me 4, On the examination of our sins at the last day iiseereeas Leo On the great love of God for our souls .......ceccsseeeees 124 On the remorse of the reprobate —.......seceeceenccrcece 126 On Jesus, the King of love ......... eer rr re ye rrr ae b 2-| On the miserable death of the sinner ........ececeseseee 129 On the happy death of the just man ....cecececesesecveee ISL On being at the point of death ....... rr re hy On the rashness of the sinner in committing mortal sin ... 134 On the parable of the Prodigal Son ......e.seeccsceeeees 136 On the evil of lukewarmness ....---.seeeceesesoeceeoees 137 On giving ourselves to God without FESCrVE seseeceecesee 139 On the trouble and confusion of the hour of death ....... 140 On provoking God by sin to depart from us .....20e.0-5- 142 On the abuse of ace eee eoeonaneeee eeoeeo ee eevee ete ne ee oe eH os 143 On divine love victorious over God himself ......:...+.6. 145 On the sentence of the wicked at the last Judgment ...... 146 On the sentence of the elect .....ssesssseccccevececcseeee 148 On dishonouring God by Sin .......seeeccceccccsscecses 149 On the joy of Jesus at findin the lost sheep _ Vieieevewns LS} On Jesus suffering the punishment due to our sins ....... 152 On the happiness of possessing the grace of God, and the seed All ape Se ake bl (0t-sbe-ne 00s se eeenreeeeeee. LO4 On conformity to the will Of God ..cccceccccccrerececeee 156