The Sinner's Guide

TAN | 1556 | Venerable Luis of Granada (1504-1588)

[miltonim]

CHAPTER 1

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

Two things, Christian reader, particularly excite the will of man to good. A principle of justice is one, the other the profit we may derive therefrom. All wise men, therefore, agree that justice and profit are the two most powerful inducements to move our wills to any undertaking. Now, though men seek profit more frequently than justice, yet justice is in itelf more powerful; for, as Aristotle teaches, no worldly advantage can equal the excellence of virtue, nor is any loss so great that a wise man should not suffer it rather than yield to vice. The design of this book being to win men to virtue, we shall begin by showing our obligation to practice virtue because of the duty we owe to God. God being essentially goodness and beauty, there is nothing more pleasing to Him than virtue, nothing he more eartnestly requires. Let us first seriously consider upon what grounds God demands this tribute from us.

[wwcj]

Is this just a blurp, or are you wanting to discuss some area in this?

[miltonim]

Just a blurp.

[miltonim]

But as these are innumerable, we shall only treat of the six principal motives which claim for God all that man is or all that man can do. The first, the greatest and the most inexplicable is the very essence of God, embracing His infinite majesty, goodness, mercy, justice, wisdom, omnipotence, excellence, beauty, fidelity, immutability, sweetness, truth, beautitude, and all the inexhaustible riches and perfections which are contained in the divine being.

[drstevej]

Thought you were supposed to say "Excuse me" after a blurp!

[miltonim]

Excuse me

[miltonim]

All these are so great that if the whole world, according to St. Augustine, were full of books, if the sea were turned to ink, and every creature employed in writing, the books would be filled, the sea would be drained, and the writers would be exhausted before any of His perfections could be adequately expressed. The same Doctor adds, "Were any man created with a heart as large and capacious as the hearts of all men together, and if he were enabled by an extraordinary light to apprehend one of the divine attributes, his joy and delight would be such that, unless supported by special assistance from God, he could not endure them."

[Maximilian]

Thanks for this post. Currently our family is reading a chapter of this book out loud each evening before doing the rosary. It is a stunning exposition of the faith, both in its simplicity and in its depth. It makes everything so crystal clear; I now understand things that were confusing before like the differences between our salvation, our justification, and our election.

The Sinner's Guide also confirms something I have long believed: that vague circumlocutions are virtually always the mark of spiritual phonies. Those on the other hand who have real spiritual experience and insight speak in a way that is direct, clear, logical and systematic.

When you are reading or hearing a spiritual presentation, can you easily draw an outline of the talk, because the presentation of the points follows one another so naturally that you can just see a 1, 2, 3, A, B, C, outline in your head? If not, then the speaker is dubious. If so, then there's at least a chance that the speaker knows whereof he speaks.

Here is the source where The Sinner's Guide is available (on sale I notice):

This is probably the most famous book of the favorite writer of St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Vincent de Paul, etc. St. Teresa of Avila credited this book with having converted over a million people in her time. This is the most persuasive book we know to encourage people to abandon sin and embrace repentance and virtue. The logic is relentless and effective. For mastery of subject, command of Scripture and total impact on the reader, no book surpasses The Sinner's Guide! (This product can also be purchased as part of the following set: An Introductory Offer)

TAN Books Sinner's Guide

[miltonim]

Thanks, you can also find a copy of this work on the Eternal Word Television Network website at http://www.ewtn.com/library/SPIRIT/GRANADA.HTM

[Cap'n Crunch]

Great book, I've got a copy. TAN has fantastic books.

[miltonim]

This then, is the chief reason which obliges us to love and serve God. It is a truth so universally acknowledged that even the Epicureans, who endeavored to destroy all philosophy by denyinig a Divine Providence and the immortality of the soul, nevertheless maintained religion, or the worship due to God.

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I love this book! I read it sometime within the last couple of years and have long considered reading it again for a 'refresher course.'

TAN does have great books--I just finished reading 'This is the Faith' and I learned so much and I plan on keeping this one around for a long time!

[Judith Anne]

Thanks for the ping. Some years ago I bought this from Tan. Since I've read it several times, my entire ideas about sin have changed...it can help God to change your heart toward Him...

[Cap'n Crunch]

And the great thing is they keep coming out with more books all the time. Lost treasures!

[miltonim]

One of these philosophers (Cicero, De Natura Deorum) proves the existence of God by strong and undeniable arguments. He proclaims the greatness and sovereignty of His admirable perfections, which oblige us to reverence and adore Him, and shows that for this reason alone, independently of any other title, God has a right to our love and service.

[Possenti]

TAN does have great books-

Yes they do.

My employer is a Traditional Catholic -- and I'm serious when I say this -- he is probably TAN's largest book buyer. Our company has one employee who virtually does nothing but buy and distribute their books (along with Rosaries and other goods) free of charge to those who request them through an organization called the Our Lady of Good Counsel Foundation. Truly a remarkable effort.

BTW - this is not a religious-type company I work for. I initially went to work there for employment only, but after less than a year, my family and I converted to the Faith from protestantism. It all started by asking a few questions, and getting good answers, along with more literature than I could digest...

[miltonim]

If we treat a king, even out of his own dominion, with respect and honor purely because of the dignity of his person, though we owe him nothing, with how much more justice should we render honor and service to this King and Lord, who, as St. John tells us, bears written "on his garment, and on his thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS"! (Apoc. 19:16). This is He who hath "poised with three fingers the bulk of the earth." (Is. 40:12).