Praxis et brevis declaration – Luis de la Palma – 1634 | First Edition Jesuit Commentary on Spiritual Exercises

Praxis et brevis declaratio viae spiritualis by Luis de la Palma is a 1634 Jesuit manual. Published by Plantin in Antwerp, this book is a guide to spiritual formation offering commentary on Saint Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises across four structured weeks of devotionals. The text addresses sin, penitence, obedience, humility, and meditations on the life of Christ, particularly the Passion. Intended for retreat use and individual spiritual discipline, it reflects the Jesuit focus on internal transformation and rigorous self-examination. The Plantin Press proved to be an important publishing outlet from the Catholic Church across Europe, and this 17^th-century first edition is no exception.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Praxis et brevis declaratio viae spiritualis, pro ut eam nos docet S.P.N. Ignatius in quatuor septimanis libelli suis Exercitiorum Spiritvalim
• Author(s): Luis de la Palma
• Illustrator(s):
• Contributor(s):
• Publisher: Antverpiae, Ex officina Plantiniana Balthasaris Moreti
• Edition: First edition, 1634
• Format: (16mo), single volume
• Binding: Modern full leather, marbled boards
• Size:  6 in x 4 in (15.2 cm x 10.2 cm)
• Collation: 311 pp, [6]
• Illustrations: title page vignette
• Contents Include:
  • Ignatian Meditative Structure
  • Themes of Sin, Penitence, Christ’s Kingdom, Passion, and Election
  • Commentary on Four-Week Retreat Format
• Provenance: provenance
• Reference(s): references

Condition:

Near Fine. Rebound in recent full leather with marbled boards. Light foxing affects the title page and initial leaves. Remaining pages are clean with no markings. Binding is tight and intact.

Why Collect This?

• First edition Jesuit spiritual commentary
• Printed by the Plantin Press, key Catholic printer of the era
• Ideal for collections focused on Catholic history or Jesuit doctrine

Item Number: #29399