Venerable Louis of Grenada - The Sinners Guide

Vidimus et Approbabimus: Fr. C. H. McKenna, O.P.
Fr. J. L ONeil, O.P.
Revisores Deputati
New York
November 15, 1883

Imprimi Potest: Fr. M. D. Lilly, O.P.
Prior Provincial
Province of St. Joseph
November 15, 1883

Imprimatur: John J. Williams, D.D.
Archbishop of Boston
By his Vicar General
November 22, 1883

This translation of The Sinners Guide , by Fr. Charles Hyancinth McKenna, O.P., was first published in 1883. The TAN edition has been re-typeset, with some revisions in the citations and updating of vocabulary. The translators use of the Douay-Rheims Version for biblical quotations has been retained. Typography and changes in this edition are the property of TAN Books and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without written permission of the publisher.

TAN edition copyright 2014 TAN Books, PO Box 410487, Charlotte, NC 28241

Cover image: Palma Il Giovane (Jacopo Negretti), 15481628. Return of the Prodigal Son , oil on canvas, (Galleria dell Accademia, Venice, Italy), Cameraphoto Arte Venezia, The Bridgeman Art Library.

ISBN: 978-0-89555-254-9

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

TAN Books

Charlotte, North Carolina

www.TANBooks.com

2014

Be assured, ye who seek that true peace promised to a future life, that you may here enjoy it by anticipation, if you will but love and keep the commandments of Him who promises this reward; for you will soon find by experience that the fruits of justice are sweeter than those of iniquity. You will learn that the joys of virtue, even in the midst of trials and misfortunes, far exceed all the delights of pleasure and prosperity accompanied by the remorse of a bad conscience.

St. Augustine

Venerable Louis of Granada, O.P.

1504 1588

The Writer of the Spanish Empire

BRIEF OF OUR HOLY FATHER GREGORY XIII

To our well-beloved Son, Louis of Granada, of the Order of Friars Preachers

GREGORY PP. XIII

Dearly Beloved Son, Health and Apostolic Benediction:

Your arduous and incessant labors, both for the conversion of sinners and for the guidance of souls to perfection, together with the valuable assistance you render those who are earnestly engaged in the work of the ministry, have always afforded us great consolation.

Your sermons and writings, filled with sublime doctrine and practical piety, are unceasingly drawing souls to God. This is particularly gratifying to us, for all who have profited by your teaching (and their number is very great) may be considered as so many souls gained to Christ. You have thus benefited your fellow creatures more than if you had given sight to the blind and raised the dead to life. For the knowledge of the Eternal Light and the enjoyment of the heavenly life, according as they are given to man on earth to know and enjoy, are far above the knowledge and enjoyment of the transitory goods of this world.

The charity with which you have devoted yourself to your great and important labor has gained for you many crowns.

Continue, then, to devote all your energies to the prosecution of your undertakings. Finish what you have begun, for we understand that you have some works yet incomplete. Give them to the world for the health of the sick, for the strength of the weak, for the delight of Gods servants, and for the glory of the Church both militant and triumphant.

Given at Rome the 21st of July, 1582,

in the eleventh year of our pontificate.

ANT. BUCCIPALULE

CONTENTS

The First Motive which obliges us to practice Virtue and to serve God: His Being in itself, and the excellence of His Perfections

The Second Motive which obliges us to practice Virtue and to serve God: Gratitude for our Creation

The Third Motive which obliges us to serve God: Gratitude for our Preservation and for the Government of His Providence

The Fourth Motive which obliges us to practice Virtue: Gratitude for the Inestimable Benefit of our Redemption

The Fifth Motive which obliges us to practice Virtue: Gratitude for our Justification

The Sixth Motive which obliges us to practice Virtue: Gratitude for the Incomprehensible Benefit of Election

The Seventh Motive for practicing Virtue: The Thought of Death, the First of the Four Last Things

The Eighth Motive for practicing Virtue: The Thought of the Last Judgment, the Second of the Four Last Things

The Ninth Motive for practicing Virtue: The Thought of Heaven, the Third of the Four Last Things

The Tenth Motive for practicing Virtue: The Thought of Hell, the Fourth of the Four Last Things

The Eleventh Motive for practicing Virtue: The Inestimable Advantages promised it even in this Life

The First Privilege of Virtue: Gods fatherly Care of the Just

The Second Privilege of Virtue: The Grace with which the Holy Spirit fills Devout Souls

The Third Privilege of Virtue: The Supernatural Light and Knowledge granted to Virtuous Souls

The Fourth Privilege of Virtue: The Consolations with which the Holy Spirit visits the Just

The Fifth Privilege of Virtue: The Peace of a Good Conscience

The Sixth Privilege of Virtue: The Confidence of the Just

The Seventh Privilege of Virtue: The True Liberty of the Just

The Eighth Privilege of Virtue: The Peace enjoyed by the Just

The Ninth Privilege of Virtue: The Manner in which God hears the Prayers of the Just

The Tenth Privilege of Virtue: The Consolation and Assistance with which God sustains the Just in their Afflictions

The Eleventh Privilege of Virtue: Gods Care for the Temporal Needs of the Just

The Twelfth Privilege of Virtue: The Happy Death of the Just

The Folly of those who Defer their Conversion

Of those who Defer their Conversion until the Hour of Death

Of those who Continue in Sin, trusting in the Mercy of God

Of those who allege that the Path of Virtue is too Difficult

Of those who refuse to practice Virtue because they love the World.

The First Remedy against Sin: A Firm Resolution not to commit it

Remedies against Pride

Remedies against Covetousness

Remedies against Lust

Remedies against Envy

Remedies against Gluttony

Remedies against Anger and Hatred

Remedies against Sloth

Other Sins to be avoided

Venial Sins

Shorter Remedies against Sins, particularly the Seven Deadly Sins

The Three Kinds of Virtues in which the Fullness of Justice Consists; and First, Mans Duty to Himself

Mans Duty to his Neighbor

Mans Duty to God

The Obligations of our State

The Relative Importance and Values of the Virtues

Four Important Corollaries of the preceding Doctrine

The Different Vocations in the Church

The Vigilance and Care necessary in the Practice of Virtue

The Courage necessary in the Practice of Virtue

VENERABLE LOUIS OF GRANADA HIS LIFE AND WORK

T HE life of Venerable Louis of Granada (15041588) paralleled to a remarkable degree the greatest era of the Spanish Empirethat empire known as the evangelizer of half the world, the hammer of heretics, and the light of the Council of Trent. Louis himself is known as the writer of the Spanish empire. He was born only shortly after the famous year 1492, when Spain had, under King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, defeated the Moors after eight centuries of Moorish occupation and oppression in Spain and financed Christopher Columbus momentous voyage to America. These were the times of Spains intense exploration and missionary activity in the New World, of the Council of Trent (1548-1563), and of the great Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto (1571).