Treatise on the Love of God

Treatise on the Love of God is a manual intended to help believers strengthen their devotion to God. De Sales describes his project by saying, "it is truly my intention to represent simply and naïvely, without art, still more without false colours, the history of the birth, progress, decay, operations, properties, advantages and excellences of divine love." The Treatise is divided into twelve books. The first four books explain the nature of the human soul and provide the history of divine love. Book Five explores the two principle exercises of love, namely, sacred complacency and benevolence. Books Six and Seven discuss the importance of practicing love through prayer, while Books Eight and Nine express the importance of submitting to God's will. The final three books are devoted to exploring the practical importance of God's holy love in our lives. De Sales' Treatise is a captivating depiction of love.