First published more than four centuries ago, Francis de Sales's treatise has lost none of its relevance for believers. As Bishop of Geneva, De Sales attended to the spiritual needs of peasants and aristocrats alike, and he noted a widespread yearning to be closer to God. Paternal yet unpretentious, De Sales's instructions offer counsel on how to authentically pray, repent, and study God's Word, while offering wise advice on living as a Christian in a secular world. This edition includes a heartfelt preface by De Sales and an insightful contemporary one by Cardinal Archbishop Edward Egan, as well as a chronology of the French saint's eventful life.