Madame Guyon - Letters of Madame Guyon, 1870

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LETTERS ^

,

OF

MADAME GUYON; .:\

SELECTIONS OF HER RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES, TRANSLATED AND RE-ARRANGED N

FROM HER PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE; INCLUDING %

HER CORRESPONDENCE WITH FENELON, ABRIDGED.

By MRS.

P. L.

UPHAM.

NEW YORK: W.

C.

PALMER,

Jr.,

14

1870.

BIBLE HOUSE.


year xS^o, by Act of Congress, in the Entered, according to

MRS. In

P.

L-

District the Clerk's Office of the

"^

UPHAM, Coyt

for the District of

Printers, Boston. Rand, Avery, a^Frye,

Maine.


IX^

PREFACE.

Madame Guyon's correspondence wag very extensive, occupying five printed volumes. Her style of writing is somewhat diffuse. The writer does not undertake a literal and full translation of her letters, but has endeavored, in a concise way, to give a just expression of her religious sentiments and experiences.

Her correspondence withF^nelon tained, principally, in the

her letters.

fifth

is

con-

volume of

In translating this correspond-

ence, the writer has also

made a

selection

of such letters, and such portions of them, as she

deemed of

niost value.

Correspond-

ence between persons so distinguished naturally

As

awakens deep far as

interest.

can be ascertained from dates,


PREFACE.

IV

this

correspondence commenced in the year the year of Madame Guyon's release

1688,

from prison, and embraces only two years. Fenelon embraced the doctrine of pure love, and suffered meekly all the persecutions he received on this account. He was the steadfast friend and advocate of Madame Guyon

and her principles, to the close of his life. Fenelon was a man of high position, a man of talents, learning, and piety, and greatly respected and boloved. The following extract is taken from the conclusion of all Madame Guyon^s writings

:

" If ever these writings

fall

into the hands

of others, either before or after I

my

death,

pray them not to examine them scrupu-

lously,

but endeavor to draw from them

whatever instruction state.

God

is

adapted to their

will enlighten the

humble."

P. L.

New York,

1870.

UPHAM.


SKETCH OF HER LIFE Jeannie Marie Mothe, of

Madam Guyon.

was born

France, April 13, 1648,

M.

name

the maiden at

Montargis, in

She was married

to

in

1664, and became the mother

of four children.

In July, 1676, she was sepa-

J.

Guyon,

rated from her husband

by

Madam Guy-

death.

on was one of that number, who, the

common

Reformers

;

standard of piety, are called to be

and on

this

account, she

suffered

She was several times im-

great persecutions. prisoned.

advance of

in

At one time

eight months

;

and subse-

quently four years in one of the towers of the celebrated Bastile. on, she

After her release from pris-

was banished

for the

remainder of her

days to Blois, on the river Loire.

At

the time

of her release from the Bastile, she was fifty-four

years

of

age.

Her 1^

sufferings

from the

V

cold,


SKETCH OF HER LIFE.

VI

damp

walls of the prison, in winter, and the con-

fined air in

summer, with other privations and

hardships, greatly impaired her constitution,

and

rendered her a sufferer to the close of her days.

She died June

9,

1717, aged sixty-nine years.

During her imprisonment, she wrote her Autobiography, which has been translated into

Another work of

lish.

hers,

"

The

Eng-

Torrents,"

has recently been translated, very happily, by

Mr. Ford. Also two and J.

" Concise

W.

View

Metcalf.

essays, "

of the

It is not

Method of Prayer,"

Way

by

of God,"

known by

the writer,

that her other works have been translated, with

the exception of some of her poems

Cowper;

and "The Life and Experience of

Madam Guy on," husband.

by William

in

two volumes, written by

my

P. L. U.


OOl^TElSTTS.

1. 2.

Reign of Christ in the heart, Turn away from Self to Christ, .

11

.

.

.

.

,

,

,14

3.

State of Assurance,

16

4.

Humility the Effect of Love,

18

5.

Divine Communications,

20

6.

Joy in Persecutions,

22

Liberty in Christ,

24

27

10.

Melancholy Avoided, God's Care of the Soul, Power of the Adversary,

34

7.

8.

9.

29

31

11.

Unction of Grace,

12.

Spiritual Oneness,

36

13.

Vicissitudes in Experience,

38

14.

Patience with the Faults of Others,

15.

How

16.

State of Simplicitt,

17.

Quenching the Spirit,

18.

Suffering Crucifixions

19.

63

20.

Reprove in Love, Silent Operation of Grace,

21.

Limit not your Sphere,

57

.

TO distinguish the Movements of God,

,

,41

,

.

43

46 48

and Reductions of

Self,

50

55

22.

Secret of Divine Operations,

59

23.

No Union with

67

24.

Never yield to Discouragement,

Selfish Souls, .

,

vii

,

.69

.


CONTENTS.

VUl 25.

Weaknesses. Imperfections,

26.

State of Advancement,

27. 28.

Greatness of Spiritual Poverty, Assistance Rendered,

29.

Simplicity

30.

Forgetfulness of Self,

31.

Diversity of Means of Sanctification,

32.

Comfort

33.

Bearing Fruit in Union with Christ, Desolate State,

34.

71

73 .

77 79

81 .

,

.

.

,83

in Affliction,

85

Self- Abandonment,

36.

No Dependence on

37.

Child of God, Soon to Die,

38.

Union of Souls in God,

39.

Secret Operations of Grace,

.

87

91

93

Instruments,

.

.

.

.95 97

99 101

40.

To A Young Friend,

41.

Final Letter to her Spiritual Guide,

42.

44.

Glory of God, the one Desire, Spiritual Union and Aid, Live in the Present,

45.

How

103

.

.

.

Bearing the States of Christ,

47.

Imperfections no Hinderance,

.105

....

108 110 112

TO administer Reproof,

46.

48.

.

...

and Power of the Word,

35.

43.

,75

....,,. .

114 .

,

,

.116 118

JDeath, Resurrection,

120

49.

Grace Deeply Interior,

122

50.

Self-Renunciation,

124

51.

Unexpected. Faults,

126

62.

Apostolic State,

128

53.

Painful Experience,

130

54.

Ecstasy of the Mind and Heart,

.

.

.

.132

65.

A

56.

State of a Soul in Union with God,

.

.

.136

57.

State of Best in God,

View of

134

Self,

138


CONTENTS.

IX

68.

Great Humiliations,

140

59.

Repose of the Soul in Gtod,

142

60.

Power of casting out Devlls,

61.

State of

62.

Concise View of the Interior

a Soul

144

re-united to God,

.

Way,

.

.

.146

.

.

.148

CORRESPONDENCE. 1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7.

8.

9.

10. 11. 12.

13. 14.

15. 16.

17. 18.

Madame Guyon to Fenelon, Fenelon to Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon, FENELON to Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon, Fenelon to Madame Guyon,

159 162 .

.

.

Madame Guyon to Fi&nelon, FfiNELON to Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon, Fenelon to Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to F£:nelon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon FENELON TO Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon, FfiNELON TO Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Fenelon, Fenelon to Madame Guyon, Madame Guyon to Mr. Poiret,

...

164 167

170 173

176 181

184 187

190

194 197 200

203

206 209

212

SELECTIONS FROM HER POETRY. 1

A

2.

God Everywhere,

Little Bird

I

am,

214 215



LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

REIGN OF CHRIST IN THE HEART I

HAVE read your

with

great

my

letter,

pleasure.

It

is

dear brother,

my

highest

happiness to see the reign of Jesus Christ

extending people.

itself in

An

the

hearts

of God's

external religion has too

much

usurped the place of the religion of the heart.

The

ancient

Isaac, Jacob,

is

Enoch, Job

The

with God.

saints

— Abraham,

— lived

interiorly

reign of Christ on earth

nothing more nor less than the subjec-

tion of the

whole soul to himself.

the world are opposed to this reign. pray, " in

Thy

Heaven

will be

;"

done on

Alas

I

Many

earth as

it is

but they are unwilling to be 11


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

12

crucified to the world,

God

lusts.

and to

theii sinful

designs to bring his children,

naturally rebellious, through the desert of crucifixions

— through

the promised

the wilderness, into

But how maqy to be

the temptations in

rebel,

bond-slaves in

land.

and choose rather Egypt, than

suffer

the reductions of their sensual appetite.

Since Jesus Christ appeared on earth, there

a general belief that the kingdoms

is

of this world will ultimately be subject to

dominion.

his

may ask, who by now yielding up

But we

hastens his coming, his

own

heart to his entire control

Our Lord imposed no nies

on

enter into the closet

heart;

to speak but

rigorous ceremo-^

He

his disciples. ;

?

taught them to

to retire within the

few words;

to

open

their hearts, to receive the descent of the

Holy

Spirit.

The holy Sabbath has not only an external, but a deeply spiritual It

meaning.

symbolises the rest of the holy soul, in


REIGN OF CHRIST IN THE HEART. union with God.

Oh

I

that

all

13

Christians

might know the coming of Jesus Christ in the soul in

!

Might

live in

God, and God

them

God

alone

knows how much 2

I

love you,


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

14

TURN FROM SELF TO CHRIST

You

my dear my heart.

are not forgotten,

has engraven you on

God

E. If

you

have not consented to the thoughts that have crossed your mind, do not be

on account of them.

afflicted

The examination

and dwelling upon these thoughts, brings

them again

to

life.

/

Be on your guard"

against everything that entangles you in self.

God

is

a Father

who

bears with the

innocent faults of his children, and wipes

away

the stains they have contracted.

greatest

doubt

wrong you can do

He

his love.

and purity of the

to

God

The is

to

regards the simplicity

intention.

It is right to

cherish great self-distrust, to realise your

weakness and

Confide as

stop here. as

you hope

Do not at

not all

helplessness

less

afflict

;

but do not

much more

in

God,

from yourself. yourself, because

you do

times realise a sensible confidence


TURN FROM SELF TO CHRIST. in

15

God, and other consoling, happy

Walk by faith, and

not by sight, or positive

perception of the good you crave.

my

Let

'

us,

dear E., be closely united, and walk

together;

not according to the

might choose, but according to

God

states.

chooses for us.

I love

you

tenderly.

way we the way


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

.6

ASSURANCE.

Notwithstanding

my

all

that

dear M., in opposition to

have

cannot

There

is

one

within

doubt

of

upon

my

heart,

immutability.

my

state, I

its

reality.

me an inward

to the truth, so deep, that

could not shake

said to me,

is

it.

Tt is

the world

all

the

testimony

work of God

and partakes of

It

seems to

me

own

his

that

the

all

difficulties

of theologians concerning this

state, arise

from viewing

it,

not in the light

of divine truth and power, but in the light of the creature. itself, is it

it

the creature, in

only weakness and sin

pleases

make

It is true,

God

;

but

when

to new-create the soul,

one with himself,

it is

and

then trans-

formed into the likeness of

Christ.

Who will dare limit the Who will say that God,

power of God

infinite as it is free,

of love as

whose love

?

is

cannot give such proofs

he pleases, to

his

creatures?


ASSURANCE.

Has he

not the right to love

17

me

as he does?

Yes, he loves me, and his love I

do not doubt

And

it.

is

he loves you, too,

dear M., in the same manner. manifested,

love

eternal

God drawn

out,

infinite.

— the

— expressed

This

is

heart of

towards his

creature.

we

In this state, secrets

Who

will so

understand the mutual

and the

Lover

of the

deny the truth of the Lord,

as to question this

? f

my

beloved in assert, I

"It

When

so,

I

his

witness of men,

witness of

God ? 2^

!

"

" If

how much "

my

deceived."

My

we

hold

does one

am

smile inwardly and say, "

am

I

arms, in vain

not

is

mine and I

beloved.

beloved

is

receive the

greater is the


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

18

HUMILITY THE EFFECT OF LOVE. ASSURE you, you are very dear to me.

I

I rejoice

very

When

soul.

much I

in the progress of your

speak of progress,

we in,

charge a vessel, the more ballast the lower

have in the in

self.

/<

The

when

sinks, so the

soul, the

lower

we

void of love.

we

put

are abased

side of the scales

it is

in

more love we which

empty; so the soul

elevated, is

only

it

is

it

As when

descending, not in mounting. •

"

weight," says St. Augustine.

is

elated

is

Love

is

Let

4is

our so

charge ourselves with the weight of love, as to bring

down

self to its just level.

Let

its

depths be manifested by our readiness

to

bear the cross, the humiliations, the

sufferings,

which

are

purification of the soul. is

our exaltation.

among you our Lord.

shall

"

necessary

to

the

Our humiliation

Whosoever

is

least

be the greatest," says


HUMILITY THE EFFECT OF LOYE.

my

you,

I love

dear child, in the love ol

the Divine Master,

by love it

who

Oh what

so abased himself

a weight

!

!

caused so astonishing a

to earth,

— from

beautiful Christ,

die to

God

passage

to

in

fall,

man! the

is love,

/but

God

since

from heaven

There

Imitation

''Love to be unknown."

all

19

is

a

of

Let us


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

20

DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS.

God communicates and

blesses,

himself to pure soulsj

through them, other souls,

a stati of receptivity.

are in

which water

little rills,

who

All these

others, little

com-

pared with the fountain from which they flow,

own,

hav^ no determinate choice of their bi" t

are governed

Lord and Master. comxnunicative.

Gud

if

himself,

will of their

The nature

God would

of

God

is

cease to be

he should cease to communicate

by

love, to the

_,^J^_^oul emptied of

The seven are

nearest to

pure soul.

a vacuum, so

air rushes to

throne,

by the

God

As

the

£Qls the

self.

blessed spirits

those

angels

God, and to

around

the

who approach

whom

he com-

municates himself the most abundantly. St.

John, perhaps,

was

better

prepared

than any of the apostles to receive the

Word,

incarnate, dwelling in the soul.


DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS.

On

the

bosom of

nity with him,

Jesus,

— in close

— John learned the

and depths of divine account our Lord

love.

It

affi-

heights

was on

this

said to his mother, " see-

ing the disciple stand by

Woman

21

whom

behold thy Son."

he loved,

He knew

the

loving heart of John would give her a place in his

own home.

God communicates himself to us in proportion as we are prepared to receive him. And in proportion as he diffuses himself in us, we are transformed in him, and bear his image.

O, the astonishing depths of

God's love! giving himself to souls appropriated of

and their

self,

becoming

their end,

their final principle, their fulness, all.

dis-

and


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

22

JOY IN PERSECUTIONS.

AM very

I for

God

my

grateful to you,

my

your sympathy in

^

dear

apparent

sir, ills.

has not permitted that I should con-

sider

them otherwise than

trust

what appears

I

destroy the truth

to

the end, establish

will, in

blessings.

Those who

it.

maintain the inward reign of the Holy Spirit will yet suffer

There

maAy

persecutions.

nothing of any value but the

is

love of God, and the accomplishment of his

This

will.

is

pure and

substantial

man

taketh from

This joy no

happiness. us. It is

my

only desir

into the hands of

without

fears,

to

abandon myself

God, without

without

any

scruples,

agitating

thoughts.

Since

I

am

there,

O

Lord,

be otherwise than happy?

how can

When

I

divine

Love has enfranchised the soul, what power


JOY IN PERSECUTIONS. can

How

fetter it?

pears to a heart that I

my

love thee,

sake.

Thou

soul,

and the

no other forsake I

hands.

my

life of

in

me

love

I

the soul of my^

my is

that I have

life,

Let

than thine.

This

all

Lover

the world lives,

and

the deep abyss

hide myself in these

many

perse-

O, abandonment! blessed aban-

Happy

!

itself,

my

separate

none

much

Lord,

donment

with himself!

creatures only for thy

all

him.

I

fills

seems to

it

art so

;

cutions.

more

God

me my in

live

where

life

small the world ap-

Lord, not only with a

sovereign love, but

thee alone, and

23

can All

but in

soul from

pluck is

union with him.

who

the soul

God.

God

What ?

me from my

well,

when

no

lives

can

Surely,

Father's

the soul

is

in

/^


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

24

LIBERTY

When

indeed."

in the soul,

it

free,

ye shall be

man of sin is new man established

and the

destroyed,

As a

CHRIST.

Son make ye

" If the \Lfree

m

the

finds itself in perfect liberty.

bird let loose from

its

cage, the soul

goes forth, unfettered, to dwell in the im-

mensity of God.

The

restricts the soul at

natural selfish

every point

God, the great /am,

;

life

and even

unseen, or deprived

is

of his glory.

"When Paul asked,

me " I

from

this

"Who

body of death

shall deliver ?

"

he added,

thank God, through Jesus Christ our

Lord."

That

is,

when by

God^ the new man soul,

I

quently,

shall

when

is

the grace of

established in

be delivered.

my

And, subse-

deliverance came, he cried

out in transport, "I Christ liveth in

live,

me!"

and yet not

I.

He was now no


25

LIBERTY IN CHRIST.

more occupied of Christ live

and

mated by him, If another

himself, but

him

act in

as the

soul

body would obey

body

he was ani-

;

is

of the soul.

animated our body, the this

new

soul

become the moving-spring of its

Thus

Jesus Christ

new man.

Jesus

let

;

would

operations.

becomes the

And what can

it

life

of the

be more

free,

more enlarged, than the soul of Jesus? His nature

divine,

is

eternal,

boundless.

Alas! to what a narrow point does self reduce us

!

Who

that looks at the freedom

and expansion of the the

new man,

soul, as it puts

Christ Jesus, will not crush

the reptile self to the dust, that the

God may

on

again, as in

its

first

life

of

creation,

animate the soul ? This liberty

is

as the eagles' wings, of

which the prophet speaks, which the soul on high.

The dove

carries

that lighted

on Jesus, was an emblem, not only of innocence, but of freedom,

3

— of

liberty^ of


LETTERS OF MADiJl GUYON.

26

to

soar

please

God

spirit it

and dwell in God. to give

May-

you an experience and you

of this liberty.

Quit

find the freedom

and enlargement of the

All in AU.

self,

will


MELANCHOLY AVOIDED.

27

MELANCHOLY AVOIDED. I

ASSURE you,

my

dear M., I sympathize

deeply in your sufferings

but

;

entreat

I

you, give no place to despondency. is

a dangerous temptation,

—a

This

refined, not

a gross temptation of the adversary.

Mel-

ancholy contracts and withers the heart,

and renders

it

unfit to receive the impres-

sions of grace.

It

magnifies and gives a

false coloring to objects,

and thus renders

Your

your burdens too heavy to bear. ill-health

and the

have from state.

his

friends,

little

consolation

help

to

you

nourish this

God's designs, regarding you, and

methods of bringing about these de-

signs, are infinitely wise.

There are two methods of serving children.

want

One

is,

for present pleasure.

deny them present

them

all

Another

pleasure for

they is,

to

greater

God is a wise Father, and chooses best way to conduct his children.

good. the

to give

Httle^^

1/


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

28

T

A

sad exterior

is

more

than attract to piety.

sure

It is

repel

to

necessary to

serve God, with a certain joyousness of spirit,

with a freedom and openness, which

renders

it

manifest that his yoke

that

is

neither

it

is

easy

a burden nor inconve-

nience. If

you would please God, be happy

and

others,

useful to

must

you

yourself,

renounce this melancholy disposition. is better

to divert your

recreations,

is

mind with innocent

than to nourish melancholy.

When I was my father's, a

a

little

child, a

very godly man,

nephew

better to cherish a desire to please

than a fear of displeasing him." desire to please

an

spirit.

cheerful,

For

" It

God,

Let the

God, and honor him, by

exterior all sweet, all

and

of

who ended

days by martyrdom, said to me,

his

It

humble,

all

cordial

arouse and animate your

this I pray.

Ever yours.


GOD^S CARE OF THE SOUL.

29

GOD'S CARE OF THE SOUL COMMITTED TO HIM.

O, THAT you could

how much God

friend,

upon

draws

painter

image pleases him,

dear

rSs~a

loves you.

what

canvas

his

so

my

realize,

God

is

now

pre-

paring your soul, by these inward cruci-

draw upon

fixions, to

He

cherishes

own

likeness.

you as the mother her only

He would

son.

his

it

have you yield readily to

his will, even as the branches of the tree

are

moved by

wind.

ment

God, he

be

naturally,

arrest

same

you

care of you.

and be

if

you

embarrassed to discern the

of God.

providencies

the

your abandon-

will take

yield readily to his will,

less

movements

breath of

light

In proportion to to

When you will

the

of

You

will follow

led, as it

God.

right to incline

3*

were, by the

God

you mistake.

them

will

God

gently

has the

and move the heart


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

30

as to possess

it.

When

the soul

fectly yielding, it loses all its

ency, so to

moment which

it is

Let there in

per-

consist-

speak, in order to take any

the shape that

water takes

own

is

God

gives

it

;

as

the form of the vases in

all

put,

and

also all the

colors.

be no longer any resistance

your mind, and your heart will soon

mingle in the ocean of love float easily^ and

be at

rest.

;

you

will


POWER OF THE ADVERSARY.

31

POWER OF THE ADVERSARY. I

AM deeply

many,

afflicted that so

some good

the present day, and even

at

per-

sons, allow themselves to be openly seduced

Has not our Lord

by the Evil One.

warned us against "false prophets, and the lying wonders of the last days ? " true prophets

of

the

Lord

spoken —haveThus

in the

saith

'"

the

All

name LordP

Nothing gives the enemy greater advantage than the love of extraordinary manifestations.

I

believe these external

ments are a device of the

draw away

one,

interior

The tendency is

An eminent

Word of God, tranquil way of faith.

to

of

communications

all

make

the soul die to^elf.

saint remarks, that

sha^ad

often experienced illuminations from

angel of

to

souls from the

and from the

from God,

evil

move-

darkness,

more

enticing, than those that

pleasing,

the

more

came from God.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

32

Those delusory manifestations, however, leave the soul in a disturbed state, while

those that quilise

and

come from God humble,

tran-

Him.

The

those,

which

establish the soul in

most dangerous seductions are

assume the garb of semblance of

religion

and have the

truth.

among

Elias appeared alone

four hun-

These prophets

dred prophets of Baal.

were much agitated, attracting great

at-

tention, " crying aloud," etc.

When

Elias

was

told

by the angel, that

Mount Horeb,

he would see the Lord in

He saw a great God was not

he hid hiraself in a cave. trembling of

earth.

There came a great whirlwind.

there.

God was little

the

Then

not there.

zephyr.

God

there

\uas in the

came a

still

small

voice.

The only

true

and

safe

revelation, is

the internal revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the soul. voice."

"

My

sheep hear

my

This involves no disturbance of


POWER OF THE ADVERSARY.

33

our freedom, of the natural operations of the

mind

;

but produces a beautiful har-

monious action of

beseech you,

soul.

I

name

of the

from

all

all

the powers of the

my

friend,

in the

Lord, to separate yourself

these delusions of the adversary.

/


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

34

UNCTION OF GRACE. Friday morning, the much, on account of

you know.

It

15th, I suffered very-

the individual^

seemed

to

him should be

the all of self in

destroyed.

I perceived, that

he

although the

from

proceeded

uttered,

inward work of the

upon

spirit

without his perceiving

effect of these truths lost.

'Souls are

was

in

it,

power-

that the

some degree

won more by

of grace — by the

the

his heart,

his reasoning faculty operated so fully,

God

me, that

wished that

truths

whom

the unction

weapons of love

— than

by the power of argument. Are not the truths you too

much

utter,

seems to be

ear, as

friend,

elaborated by the intellect, and

polished by the imagination

directness.

my

lost, for

They

want of fall

?

Their

effect

simplicity

and

pleasantly on the

a lovely song, but do not reach and

move the

heart.

There

is

a lack of unction.


UNCTION OF GRACE.

Are you not always laboring

new jtnd

for

35

something your

original, thus exhibiting

own

powers of mind, rather than the simple -'N

Jrath

?

Receive this suggestion, and light will

be given you upon

To

plainly?

only, is

truth

Do

it.

speak the

desire.

I

all

morning prayed, rather

I

speak too

and the

truth, I

have this

to be taken out of

the world, than to disguise the truth.

have proclaimed

in its

it,

great Congregation, and that Thou, heart

Thou

is

purity, in the

it

will

Lord, hast distilled

or rather,

;

O

be seen it

in

my

Sovereign Truth, that

art there thyself, to manifest thyself

plainly,

weak

O

I

and that Thou dost make use of

things to confound the strong.

truth

and

love.

In

Him

yours.

God


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

36

SPIRITUAL ONENESS.

My

my

union with you,

steadily

increasing.

dear child,

you

bear

I

,

in

is

my

heart with a deep and absorbing interest,

and seem anxious

to

communicate

How

of souls,

close,

made one

Whosoever

There

brother."

more

is is

it,

do

my

!

the union

is

Our Savior

!

when he

the

sister

and

union of souls in

Heaven possess each

— a union which does

other in

not interrupt

the possession ai God, although

it is

dis-

from God.

Let your soul have within Yes.

my

In this manner, pure as delightful,

the saints in

tinct

of

will

mother,

said,

no union more pure,

strong, than the

Christ

God;

shall

same

Father, the

dear

in Christ

expressed

beautifully "

how

you

my own

the abundant grace poured into soul.

to

When

God, there

is

it,

a continual

in union with

the heart

is

no Nay^ —

it is

Yes^ be

it so^


SPIRITUAL ONENESS.

which reverberates through the Yes,

suppleness,

this

37 soul.

This

the

heart

renders

agreeable to the heart of the Spouse.

was thus with Mary, Lord, her,

when

of the Lord, be

word. "

It

the mother of our

the angel messenger

she replied, it

" Behold, the

unto

me

came

to

handmaid

according to thy

was thus with

soul of Samuel,

It

when he

the child-like said,

"

Speak,

Lord, for thy servant heareth. "

It

thus with our divine Lord, " Lo,

I

was

come

to do thy will.

Yours in the fellowship of the Saints.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

38

VICISSITUDES IN EXPERIENCE.

As

the outgoings of

the living man, while

life

we

proceed from

live in ourselves,

we have a strong will and and many fluctuating states.

eager desires,

But

in pro-

portion as our will passes into the will of

God, the

which are the offspring

desires

of the will, are subjugated, and the soul

is

reduced to unity in God. „_^»«—

-^g the soul advances in the

movements

natural or selfish

its

and

it

depends

exercises,

less

and there

life

of God,

decrease

on mere emotional

is really less

variation

of the emotions.

Rest assured,

it

is

same God who

the

causes the scarcity and the abundance, the rain

and the

low

states, the peaceful

warfare, are

fair

The high and

weather.

each

good

and the in

their

state of

season.

These vicissitudes form and mature the


VICISSITUDES IN EXPERIENCE. interior, as

the different seasons

the year.

Each change

compose

by which

and

to try your faith

will be a help

you

soul, if

inward

in your

experience, or external condition, test,

39

a new-

is

and love

towards perfecting your

receive

it

with love and sub-

mission.

Leave yourself

Love

Love. it

therefore in the

hands of

always the same, although

is

causes you often to change your position.

He who loves

prefers

one state to another,

abundance more than

scarcity,

God orders otherwise, loves the God more than God himself. God loves you let this thought ;

all states.

who

when

gifts

of

equalise

Let him do with us as with the

waves of the

sea,

and whether he takes us

to his

bosom, or casts us upon the sand,

that

leaves us to our

is,

own

barrenness,

all

is well.

For myself,

Lord orders

I

for

am me.

pleased with

all

the

I hold myself ready


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

40

to suffer, not only imprisonment but death perils

— on — sea among

everywhere

perils

on the

all is

good

forever.

in

perils

the land

false brethren;

Him,

to

whom

I

am

united


PATIENCE WITH OTHERS.

41

PATIENCE WITH THE FAULTS OF OTHERS. LOVE you very much,

I

my

my

any

love could be of

dear M.

If

would

avail, it

console you, for I feel a greater tenderness

and sympathy express.

I

for you,

am more

than

am

I

able to

certain than ever, that

God

designs you for himself.

riorly

with N., as being entirely reconciled.

Make not

too

much account of

his passionate temper, his

Live exte-

his coldness,

contempt.

It is

not by these you are to regulate your conduct, but

and

by a motive more elevated

Let your heart endure

his glory.

Him, who

bitterness, for the love of

ferred grief to pleasure.

do no violence to

to your

At

own

accommodate yourself

to give

— God

the

his

pre-

same time,

sacred feelings,

to him, in order

him a pleasure he cannot

appreciate.

Regard your present condition, as a means

God to

has given you, to manifest your love

himself,

by a willingness 4#

to

sacrifice


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

42

Reject not this cross, shall

yourself.

rather say crown,

let

all

God and

plished between

not

be accom-

your

soul, in

manner, that the struggle

such a quiet

with your

and

I

own

feelings will not be per-

ceived.

While you

are bearing this daily cross

crucifixion

this real

will sustain you, love. us. let

All I love

this

is

I

tenderly.

make amends

devotedly yours.

certain

God

from the fulness of

alike good,

you

am

when God

God for

all.

is

loves

In

his

with

you

;

Him


DIVINE MOVEMENTS.

HOW TO You

43

DISTINGUISH THE MOVEMENTS OF GOD.

enquire,

how one who

follow the ipovements of God's distinguish

these

desires to spirit,

may

from

the

movements,

There

natural operations of the mind.

is

not, at all times, a positive certainty regard-

ing divine movements. should

become

If

infallible

we were

as

were the

so,

we

angels

as pure in our intentions.

that

is, if

We

must walk with God,

donment and

it

in entire aban-

uncertainty, at the risk of

sometimes making mistakes, which in the infancy of experience

who

unavoidable.

He

wishes for a particular inspiration, or

direction

own

is

in

common

matters,

which

his

reason and judgment can determine,

is liable to

A pure

deception.

soul acts in simplicity,

and with-

out certainty, being persuaded that what is

good comes from God, and what

is

not

""^


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

44

good from

self-activity

tions

;

The

self.

— the more

greater the simplicity,

separate from the mingling of

— the

purer are these opera-

because the soul in this state

a simple instrument, that the is

in her, moves, so that

which speaks and not ner

of speaking,

it

to

only

Word, which the

is

Word

This man-

herself.

relates

is

matters of

importance, and not to the minute concerns of every-day

life.

consecrated

etc.,

to

it

shall

Word, soul,

Christ.

you before

they bring kings,

divine

found in the

exigencies^ is

wholly

The

in all

that is "

When

magistrates

and

be given .you in that

hour what ye shall speak. "

This method

— by — moment leaves the soul

always

unencumbered, and ready

for the slightest

of divine leading

t'le

^

breath of the Lord.

pure soul,

is

hour and by the free

and

This breath, in the

as the gentle zephyr,

and not

as the whirlwind, which shakes the earth.

Do

not then expect to have anticipated

movements,

or

movements beforehand from


45

DIVINE MOVEMENTS.

God. that

I

have an experience of

God

often

makes known

many

years,

his will, only

in the time of action. If a

pure soul, wholly sacrificed to God,

undertake something contrary to

should the will

of God,

it

would

feel

a slight

repugnance, and desist at once. does not

feel this

repugnance,

let

If

one

the act

A mother who

be performed in simplicity.

holds her child by a leading-string, loosens it,

that

it

may walk

;

but

if

about to make

a mis-step, she draws the

string.

repugnance which a holy soul thing, is as

when

leading-string.

feels to

The do a

the mother draws the


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

46

STATE OF SIMPLICITY. EXPERIENCED recently, a marked per-

I

God

ception of your state, as one in which

took

and

delight,

infinite designs,

glory.

God

I

saw

upon which he h^d

regarding himself and his

clearly the

desired to bring

you

— the

means

to

in the way —

be used, and the obstacles the mutual

which

state to

sympathy and confidence he

required between us

— and

the openness

and freedom of communication necessary for

we

our mutual benefit, and that

should

not hesitate to speak freely of each other's faults.

The

peculiarity

rience, needs I

you remark

in

some explanation.

my

expe-

You

say

do not seem to be wounded, nor blame

myself when

which self

I

reproved for a

reply simply, there

remaining in

indifferent state

me

to be

is

fault.

no more of

wounded.

you notice

To

in

me,

This arises


STATE OF SIMPLICITY.

47

from the state of innocency and infancy in

which

I find

holds

me

so far

removed from myself, or from

my

impossible for

me

natural state, that to take a painful

a fault traces

Our Lord

myself.

it is

committed by me,

is

on the soul;

external,

which

is

am

infer that I

is

it

it

which

my

blind to

something

Do

are in the natural

God, have

But

souls,

faults, as

Souls

life,

have

real

it

as soon as

economy

is

they see and

transformed

into

a writing traced on

sand when the wind

souls in

The

faults.

a paper written over with ink

them.

defacing

not

and penetrating,

strongly marked, therefore

the

as

discovers the slightest fault.

faults, as

feel

leaves no

it

easily removed.

light of truth is so subtle

that

When

view of myself.

is it is

high, the traced.

wind

This

is

of divine wisdom, relating to

union and harmony with God.

Oh!

the greatness and simplicity of the

way

of Truth!

apprehension of

How it

unlike the world's


48

MADAM GUYON.

LETTERS OF

QUENCHING THE SPIRIT Desiring to follow closely the divine leading, I expressed to

you the other day,

some sentiments you were not receive.

perceived

I

once,' that

at

account of your resistance,

From

more.

I

on

could say no

experience,

this

able to

although

painful as regards yourself, I learnt the

extreme delicacy of the

seeks

spirit that

to aid others ;^>and the strength of man's

freedom to oppose ized, also, for,

I

my

this operation.

I real-

inability to act of myself;

as soon as the spirit in

had nothing

to

say.

I

me was

sUent,

had, however,

the extreme satisfaction of knowing, that this

good

that I

spirit

would

alone conducted

;

and

not, in the least degree, add,

nor diminish from It

me

its

operations.

was from a knowledge, gained by

experience,

of

the

purity of this divine

extreme delicacy and spirit,

that I remarked


QUENCHING THE

SPIRIT.

to you, the other day, that

receive

the

I should

nicate to

if

49

you did not

instructions I then imparted,

have nothing farther to commuyou.

O,

how

pure

and how

unlike the impetuous operation of man's spirit, is this

operation of

Qod

!


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

50

SUFFER THE CRUCIFIXIONS AND REDUCTIONS OF SELF.

All

the graces of the Christian, spring

from the death of

patiently the afflictions,

overflowing

life.

Let

self.

us, then, bear

which reduce

There

this

a suffering in

is

connection with confusions and uncertainties,

Unbounded

very trying to bear.

pa-

tience is necessary, to bear not only with ourselves, but

with others, whose various

tempers and dispositions are not congenial

with our own. spirit will

" Offences,"

occur while

we

— wounds of

live in the flesh.

These offences must be borne

in silence,

and thus subjugated and controlled by the spirit

we

of grace.

feel,

more or

By

a law of our nature?

less,

the influence of the

we move. While we honor, we think,

spheres in which

cross, the affliction that let

the

true

comes from God,

us remember, that these instruments,


CEUCIFIXIONS OF SELF. disagreeable,

SO

the true

are

51 cross

that

providence daily furnishes us.

Do

not sully the cross and

tions,

by your murmurs and

Let us welcome any

what we selves

mar

are,

and

trials,

and lead us

find our all in

Jesus Christ says, "

opera-

its

reflections.

that teach us

to renounce our-

God.

He who

renounces

my disciple."

not

all

that he hath, cannot be

Of

all

possessions, that of ourselves

is

most dangerous. Please present

your brother. misfortunes.

formity to

I I

the

^

my

regards

cordial

to

sympathize deeply in his

use this expression, in con-

common

usage, but

express the sentiments of

my

it

does not

heart.

I

am

convinced that the loss of wealth, worldly honor, persecutions,

ments to unite us

are

the

best instru-

to Jesus Christ.

All evils,

or apparent evils, are great blessings

they unite us to our All in All.

God

to sustain him.

I

when pray

His sufferings only


62

LETTERS OF

increase

my

our Lord. all is

weU

is there.

MADAM GUYON.

sympathy and love

My

health

is

in the depths of

still

my

for

him

feeble,

heart.

in

but

God


REPROVE

REPROVE It

IN LOVE.

IN LOVE.

important to use great care and ^l^

is

sweetness in reproving others.

when

only

alone with

the

Reprove

person,

and

own time, but the moment of God. As we are not free from faults ourselves, we must not expect too much from others. Be yourself very humble and

take not your

child-like,

and

pathetically full

this character will act syrii-

on

others.

of sweetness

tiently

did

disciples,

he

and

Jesus Christ charity.

bear with his

How

was pa-

imperfect

even with Judas, without anger,

without bitterness, and even without coldness.

How

lowly was Jesus

imparts to his

ones no tyrannic power.

They use no

violence in

dealing with souls, but say

with John, " Behold the

who

" did not

He

break the bruised reed." little

He

!

taketh

5^

away

Lamb

of God,

the sins of the world."

a.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

54

Our Lord

" rejoiced

in

unusual manner, such as else in Scripture,

thee,

O

when

we

find

an

in

spirit,"

nowhere

he said, " I thank

Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed

How

unto babesP presence of a ease

!

It

restraint,

happy are we

little

child;

them the

in

how much

at

imposes on us no burden of of fear, of

management!

It is

in this childlike disposition of meekness,

of sweetness, of innocency, that

we

should

seek to benefit others.

In the love of Jesus, yours.


SILENT OPERATION OF GRACE.

55

SILENT OPERATION OF GRACE. PERCEIVE, by your

I

you

letter,

are in

doubt about the grace which passes inte-

from heart to

riorly

an

We

heart.

illustration of this in the

our

touched

Lord,

perceive that virtue

when is

notice

woman who said

"he

:

" I

gone out of me."

In a similar manner, without words, one heart heart,

But it,

may communicate grace to another as God imparts grace to the soul.

if

the soul

not in a state to receive

is

the grace of the interior

municated, passage

"

;

as

K

is

expressed

they are not

in

illustrates,

another

children

peace, your peace will return to

This

not com-

is

according to

of

you again."

my

view,

pure interior communications of the grace of God, from heart to heart, which the soul relishes in silence, is

often

more

of words.

and which silence

efficacious than a multitude


56

MADAM GUYON.

LETTERS OF

At our tion

for

last interviews I

had an

inclina-

but finding in you an

silence,

communion,

aversion to silent

entered

I

into conversation, but without any interior

my

correspondence on

part, and, evidently,

without any benefit to you. teach you,

my

dear child, there

God would is

a silence

of the soul through which he operates, filling it

diffused

with the unction of grace, to be

on other hearts who are in a

state

of receptivity, often more efficacious than

words to replenish the

We find this nature.

The

still

soul.

harmonious action in

sun, the

The

shine in silence.

moon, and voice

of

God

heard in the silence of the soul. operation of grace

from God, and

is

may

in silence, as it

stars,

it

is

The comes

not reach and pass

from soul to soul without the noise of

words? it

means

O, that

all

Christians

knew what

to keep silence before the

Lord


LIMIT NOT

LIMIT NOT

Let me urge your heart

YOUR SPHERE.

YOUR SPHERE.

my

you,

child, to enlarge

to

or, rather, suffer it

;

57

become

enlarged by grace.

This contraction shuts

you up

and hinders an agree-

in yourself,

which we should ever main-

able openness tain,

even towards those

who have no ourselves.

An

open, frank exterior wins confidence.

Let

much

relish

particular

it

with

affinity

not appear, that you have so

for

yourself,

What seems regarded by

we

as not to think of to us a virtue is

God

as a fault;

shall so perceive,

others.

sometimes

and which

when we have

clearer

light.

You seem

to

certain sphere,

mark out

and

you think you do

if

for yourself

you go beyond

yourself

an

a it,

injury.

Thus, while you have an apparent movement, you are

whose

centre

only describing a

and circumference

circle, is

self.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

58

I entreat

you, pass beyond the narrow

bounds of

self;

suffer yourself to

be led

and way of God. much more happy and

out of self into the will

Thus you useful.

will be

If I

loved you

less,

I

should be

less severe.

Let God be the sovereign Master over our hearts, and instruct, and reprove, and operate, in us,

by

himself, or through others,

as pleases him.

Adieu.

God

bless you,

my

child.


SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS.

59

SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS UPON THE SOUL.

Do

not suppose, Dear

to be purified

by great

dinary events^

All

Sir,

trials

It

you are

and

extraor-

accomplished in you

is

by the suppleness of your state of infancy.

that

will,

— by

must be so on account

God

of the pride of your natural reason.

conducts the soul in a

human

philosophy.

the

way opposed

Hence

to

the necessity

of being reduced to the state of infancy,

and

we

to the subjection of the will. call

the death of the will^

is

What^

the passage

of our will into the will of God.

This

change implies not only a change in externals,

desires

but the inward subjection of the

and sentiments of the

heart.

most persons, who commence the life,

stop short.

They cannot submit

the interior crucifixion, the

Here

religious

to

which lays prostrate

whole of the natural carnal

life,

and


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

60

consequently there follows a mingling of the spirit of the flesh with grace, and is

which produces such monsters

this

Do we

the religious world.

not read in

Scripture, that in consequence of the

ance of the sons of

God

who

earth with wickedness, they

so filled the

drew down a

deluge of wrath upon the world? this

with the in

alli-

with the daughters

of men, giants were born,

from

it

in

It

abominable alliance of the

is

flesh

who appear mighty men, men of produced and sustained. One

spirit,

that

those

all

the world, as "

renown," are

may

be

full

life,

while appa-

dead to the external things of the

rently

Thus they

world. things,

joints

of the natural

and

are

in

alive

dead to

the most essential

— dead in name, but not in

By an authority God accomplishes we

relish of

reality.

as gentle as efficacious,

when we him. The

his will in us,

have surrendered our souls to consent

inferior

give to his operations, and our

them,

is

sweet and sustaining, in


SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS.

61

proportion to the perfection of our aban-

God

donment.

with violence.

does not arrest the soul

He

such a manner, that

adjusts

we

things in

all

follow

him

happily,

even across dangerous precipices. So good is

Divine

this

Master, so well does he

understand the methods of conducting the soul, that it

runs after him, and makes

haste to walk in the path he orders.

Suppleness of soul

consequence to

its

is,

therefore, of vital

progress.

It is

the

work

God to eifect this. Happy are the souls, who yield to his discipline. God renders of

the soul, in the

commencement, supple

follow illuminated reason;

to

afterwards to

way of faith. He then conducts by unknown steps, causing it to

follow the

the soul

enter into the

which

is

wisdom

of Jesus

so different from

all

its

Christ

former

experience, that without the testimony of

divine filiation, which remains in the soul in

a manner hidden, and the ease and

liberty

the

soul finds

6

in

this

unknown


62

MADAM GUYON.

LETTERS OF

way,

it

would

consider itself

being

as

separated continually from God, being as

it

were, to act of

Human wisdom

itself.

and the powers of the soul

being here

lost,

controlled

by the wisdom of Jesus

born in the soul,

it

increases in

Christ,

propor-

its

even unto the stature of a perfect

tions,

man

left,

in Christ Jesus.

The

soul,

having

now

passed into God,

is in its

proper place, and will be happy,

provided

it

its

remains fixed and separate from

former manner of acting.

Reason may its

strength,

hesitations

at times

oppose with

and cause some

fears,

God,

but, being fixed in

;

impossible for the soul to change and, after the experience of sufferings, suffers

of love.

to be

There

is

drawn

to nature.

The

The

and naturalness of

ease

causes, at times,

is

some

it is ;

useless self,

it

in the current

now no more

soul

some

course

its

many

having their origin in

itself

all

of violence

in its natural state.

fear,

this

some

state

anxiety.


SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. It is as

and

in

much the nature of man, originally, his new creation in the likeness of be in God, and to be there in

Christ, to

perfect enlargement, simplicity,

cence, as

it

is

and inno-

the nature of water to flow

When man

in its channel. be,

63

one of

his state is

as he should

is

infinite ease

without limitations, because he

and

created

is

sovereign, or master of himself, and cannot

be subjected by anything created, although he

subjected to God,

is

called subjection, affinity

if

may

that

be

which brings the soul into

with God, and makes

it

partaker

of his nature.

Be

therefore persuaded, that

no violence in dealing with the

commotion

the

in

God

soul.

arises

soul,

tions.

of

all

when

that it

is

is

the soul

is

This

from the

resistance of man's will to divine

When

uses

opera-

disenfranchised

opposed to the will of

God

not arrested either by desires or

repugnancies,

it

runs without stopping or

weariness in the way.

This

is

what

is


64

LETTERS OF

called death,

was never true

When by the

;

much

but the soul

self;

alive

it

;

now

lives the

of God.

life

God

the soul becomes one with

own

loss of its

purposes,

them

— death to

so

the

life,

MADAM GUYON.

and

is

it

will

and

life, it

has

important to follow

but they are purposes in God, and

have in them nothing of rapport to self

is

self.

All that has

God

no more, and

Being passed into God, the soul

and transformed

This

in him.

mystics

call Resurrection.

used in

this

or natural

To

life.

life is

to the will or

But

way, does not bear

signification.

the former

is

is all.

changed

is

what

the

the

word

its

usual

resuscitate is to revive

But

in this case, the will,

consumed, and gives place

life

of God.

Thus

the

Holy

Spirit operates effectively in the soul, trans-

forming

it

into the likeness of the

Son

of

God.

Now the soul

participates in the qualities

of God, one of which qualities,

communicating

itself to

is

that of

other souls.

Or


SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS. rather, it is as

65

a stream, which, being lost

in a large river, follows the course of the

communicating

river,

where the

itself

communicates, watering where

drawing into

itself all

which are destined selves in the great

river

waters,

it

the smaller rivers,

alike

lose

to

These

ocean of Love.

streams have no independent

life,

them-

but pro-

ceed from, and flow back into their origin.

Here

is

consummation of

the

ness, as Jesus "

One

in

it,

us,^^

There Blessed

is

divine

are

those

How many rivers,

souls in one-

Christ has expressed

reality

in

this

truth.

who comprehend

walk side by

it

side along these

and yet never mingle

their waters

And many

there are, also,

who

eagerness,

to precipitate

themselves into

this

divine

haste with

stream, and flow together, as

the souls of the celestial ones, in the ful-

ness of divine love.

This

is

not a chimera of the fancy

the wonderful

economy 6^

of divinity.

;

it is

It is

the


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

66

end and object of the creation of the soul

— the

end and compass of

the efforts

all

Here

of God, regarding his creatures.

consummated from

all

the

termination,

glorious

derives

All beside are only

their existence.

means approaching

the

God

glory,

is

this final end, this

and

absorption of

the soul in Deity.

Here

ravishes the soul.

A light which

the light which

is

precede, but follows the soul in

does not progress

its

man

unfolding more and more, as a

in a

dark cavern, discovers the concealed places,

when he has remained

only

in

it

for

some

time.

This

is

the pure Theology in which

instructs the angels

and the

saints.

who having

teaches only to his children,

abandoned self

their

become

This

we

It is

Theology of Experience, that God

the

us,

God

is

own wisdom,

their

wisdom and

the law of wisdom,

— the way of the are one.

he has

Lord

my

their

him life.

friend, for

in us.

In

him


NO UNION WITH SELFISH SOULS.

67

NO UNION WITH SELFISH SOULS.

There

are

some

These are

great suffering. full

souls which cause

of compromises, speculations

man

souls,

and hu-

arrangements, and desiring others to

accommodate themselves and

selfish

to their

humors

I find myself unable to

inclinations.

administer in the least degree to their love

and when

;

plaisant,

a

I

would be a

Master, more

myself, restrains me.

I

gives them.

I

little

self-

com-

powerful than

cannot give such

persons any other place in

God

me

my

heart,

than

cannot adapt myself

to their superficial state, neither respond to their professions of friendship

very repulsive to

The

my

;

these are

feelings.

love which dwells in

my

heart, is

not a natural love, but arises from a depth

which with

rejects,

it,

what is not in correspondence

or rather

what

with the heart of God.

is

I

not in unison

cannot be with


LETTERS OF

68

MADAM GUYON.

a child without caressing child-like

ment.

I

do not regard the

ness with God.

;

God

and on earth

attach-

exterior,

its affinity

The only

the union of souls in

in heaven,

nor with a

soul without a tender

the state of the soul

is

it,

but

and one-

perfect union, ;

such as exists

after the resurrec-

tion, life takes effect in the soul.


NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT.

69

NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT.

Do

not be disheartened,

my

friend,

A

account of your slow progress.

martyrdom

is

sometimes

in our nature,

long

necessary,

in

from the con-

order to purify our souls

cealed faults of self-love

on

interwoven

faults

and strengthened by long

As you cannot control at agitations of nature, arm yourself

indulgence.

once the

with patience, to accomplish the task

by

little

;

not in the

way

of direct

but rather by ceasing from

effort,

little

effort,

remain-

ing quiet, permitting neither gestures nor

words to betray your

we enter as we enter

Could grace,

into the highest state of

into a room,

easily accomplished. is

straight,

pass

;

feelings.

But

it

alas

I

might be the door

and there are many deaths to

in a word, death to

self.

^

It is this

long martyrdom, or dying of the old of sin, which causes

all

man

the pains of the


70

LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

interior

life.

It is rare to find persons,

are willing to die entirely to fore

few reach the highest

Have good to

draw a

but

when

she

rolls

!

severance,

courage.

self,

and

who

there-

state of grace.

It is

a great work

large ship from her moorings,

she

is in

What

how easily when by per-

the waters,

happiness,

you have triumphed over nature,

to find yourself in the a'bundant waters of

grace!

I

God to He wiU.

pray

to the work.

put his

own hand

In Him, devotedly yours.

\j/^


WEAKNESS AND IMPERFECTIONS.

71

WEAKNESS AND IMPERFECTION. RECIPROCATE youi friendship, madam,

I

with

my

all

Our

heart.

knows how happy any possible

better to be feeble,

which

our own.

is

was

the pure soul

now

Master

to serve

you in "7~-

madam,

I

when God

\

it

is

leaves us

in their

frailties,

own

once thought, that

I

from

free

God

see otherwise.

dren with

eyes,

all faults,

but

clothes his chil-

that they

may

be humble

and be concealed from

The Tabernacle

the eyes of the world.

was covered with the skins of the beasts, while the Temple of Herod was ornamented with gold.

Let us not

afflict

account of our

littleness

God

it,

since

children.

not raise that

it

V

weakness, than to have a strength

in our

I

am Oh

I

way.

divine

so orders

When itself,

needs.

a

but

infirmities,

but become as

little

lets

ourselves on

and

child

falls, it

another do for

little

canit all

A


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

72 It

does not depend on ourselves to

the presence of

Let the

God more

or less sensible.

desire for a lively sense of this

presence, be crucified to the

Tak6 what child,

God

make

who gives

given you.

is

eats

and

you the

Be

w^ill

sleeps

of God.

as the

and

little

grows.

best nourishment, al-

though not always the sweetest to the taste.

you.

Adieu

I

my

heart sympathises with


ADVANCEMENT.

73

ADVANCEMENT. During the process of the and advancement,

tion

only of

but of

itself,

God and even

it

soul's purifica-

loses sight not

things else, except

all

of the distinct apprehension

;

there are no longer distinct,

and perceptions of

draw the soul

God.

Let

all

This

go in the

origin,

and

the soul

things to

creatures in

God,

it

in

from God.

yet in

is

itself,

and

it

its

order.

end and

finds all

itself, it

sees

it

God,

it

draws

God and

But when

itself.

in oneness with

with

necessary

without going out from God.

When all

lost in

is

divine

the soul has returned to

lost,

becom-

into oneness with

When

is

is,

bounded views

Christ, the soul

ing identical with Christ. in order to

That

humanity.

of our Lord, in his

the soul

aii is

carries all creatures

God, and sees nothing separate Seeing

all

in God,

it

sees all

things in the true light, as with the eye of 7


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

74

God.

This

is

what David

calls, "

Seeing

light in thy light.

May God what

say,

I

give

and

you understanding of and acquiescence

docility

in the truths,

which he causes to penetrate

your

make no

soul.

freely dil

I

my

for self, is

mirror, soul,

it

it

parent,

presents

least reserve

My

obstructs the view of God.

seems to me, only

is

clear

and

trans-

what the Master

and the execution of

and transparent.

vou

but express

as a strong breath against a

reflecting ;

The

thoughts.

rfenders the soul

to

reserves,

his

will

always increasingly pure

May God

be

all

in all


GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL POVERTY.

75

GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL POVERTY.

Do not measure yourself by others, who may not be led as you are. God chooses to enrich

some

souls with brilliant gifts,

but he has chosen you, stripped of

This

the depths of spiritual poverty.

all,

is

in

the

perfect self-renouncement, without which,

one cannot be the disciple of the Lord All other states,

Jesus.

they

may

are

be,

however elevated

inferior

naked, state of the soul.

to It

all

in favor of his Beloved.

It is

of the

enemy

remains of

what

is

;

is

pure,

a

state,

is

which despoils the lover of which the soul

this

he possesses a state in

shielded from all inroads

who can

self in

reach only what

the creature, and not

enclosed in God.

God has chosen you for himself alone. You are the sanctuary, which is open only to the high priest, in

which

ark of the covenant

— the

is

contained the

essential will of


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

76

God

— the

sacred place, encompassed by

the clouds, where the glory of

Oh!

blessed poverty of

state the gifts

a

soul

is

God

spirit,

appears.

in

which

enriched with the best

God can bestow

Measure not your advancement by tion to the road passed over, but

rela-

by rapport

There yet remains a great

to the end.

road to pass over, since

God

himself

is

the

way.

The more designs, the

fully

more

I

you

enter

love you.

into

his


ASSISTANCE ONE TO ANOTHER

77

ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY ONE SOUL TO ANOTHER.

The

interest

my

welfare,

I

dear F.,

your

in

feel

spiritual

very great

is

deeply absorbing, that I slept but

— so little

during the past night, presenting you in prayer before our Lord. conviction, that

heart

by

my

God

is

have an inward enriching

humble instrumentality

you on one

while he elevates debases

I

you on the

;

your thus,

side,

he

by commu-

other,

nicating his gi'ace through so unworthy a

channel as myself. to

me

your

state,

The

when

intelligence from you.

own

dered

it,

many

years hence, this

operations

for

his

will

be

Spirit has revealed I

have received no

God

has thus

glory;

or-

and when

method of God's

better

known

— the

assistance rendered by one soul to another,

without the mediation of the body use he has

made 7^

— the

of this feeble instrument


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

78 to

communicate

to

you

his grace, will serve

to substantiate this divine truth

venly

mode

There interior

is

and hea-

of operation. therefore for you, a

means of

advancement, which no distance

of place can interrupt.

It

will be only

from lack of correspondence on your that

it

will be diverted.

least for in' union

God

desires

a time, until your soul

with himself.

communication discharging

is

it,

at

is entirely

This method of

only a superior fountain

itself into

rivers bearing

part,

another

;

or,

as

each other to the same

two

sea.

Receive then this poor heart in the

ful-

ness of Christ's love, and believe me, no

one can be more I

am.

fully united to

you than


SIMPLICITY OF THE WORD.

SIMPLICITY

You

79

AND POWER OF THE WORD.

my

enquire,

friend,

why

do not

I

use obscure terms and extraordinary expressions,

in explaining the

My

Scriptures.

Lord teaches me, that while there

are

no

writings so profound as the Gospels, there are

And

none so simple. of

simplicity

soul

gives

expression.

When we

beyond

experience,

our

difficulty,

that

further,

simplicity

cf

speak of a state

we do

with

so

and have recourse to learning to

aid us, and use forced expressions.

In the

natural,

there

Scripture,

simple expressions of

deep

are

sentiments,

adapted to the wants of each soul

— to

those less and more advanced.

The word the soul

;

it

of

God

enters the centre of

has a penetrating quality

operative efficiency.

produce the same

No

effect

;

;

an

words of man can at least,

such as come from souls,

who

none but are pure


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

80

channels of the word of God.

good pleasure of our Lord,

It is

the

to express

and

reproduce himself upon the self-abandoned

Who

soul.

does not admire the profound

mystery of the creation of the world, where

God produced all things by his word ? When God created man, he formed him

— the

of the dust of the earth of matter — made

God

not rob

of dust, that he might

the

Word.

is

— the breath of

This dust of the earth became

living breath

Christ

But man thus

of his glory!

created, received the spirit

the

lowest form

When

of God.

formed in the

soul, he

Jesus

imparts not

only a clear understanding of the word,

but

is

the

soul.

dwells,

himself the

Word, reproduced

Those only

fulfill

in

whom

Christ

the word, or have the

accomplished in them.

Such only

fully to interpret the word.

It is

in

word

are able

not learn-

ing which best explains the truths of God,

but the reproduction of these truths in the life

— the experience of them.


81

FORGETFULNESS OF SELF.

rORGETFULNESS OF SELF I I

CANNOT compliment you, dear

am

sir,

and

persuaded, that you will expect from

me, only the simplicity of the

me to You

This simplicity leads our Lord gives me.'

The

this simplicity.

christian.

say, only

what

need more of

frequent self-returns

unworthiness, although

much on your it may have the

appearance of humility,

is

you make, dwelling

True

self-love.

alone is

;

it

has

so

simplicity

its

only a refined

God

regards

eye fixed upon him, and

not drawn towards self; and

it

is

as

pleased to say humble as great things. All our uneasy feelings and reflections, arise

from

self-love,

of piety they simplicity

where we

we

assume.

The

lack of

many wounds. Go if we remain in ourselves,

inflicts

will,

shall carry

distresses.

may

whatever appearance

If

everywhere our sins and our

we would

live in peace,

we


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

82

must

sight of

lose

and

infinite

hinder

But

You

it

withhold

The time

in the

The

into

its is

calling

the only

the possession of

is

short

;

of

benefits, is

and

disarrange

who

and great

your

wherefore spend

compass and surroundings of

as a person

dress

These

itself,

God from God

single eye sees only

instead

in the

in

to this,

it is

thing he desires heart.

running

from

it

original.

you.

unchangeable God.

more and more

soul

rest

have a tendency to establish

self-returns

the

and

self,

self ?

You

God.

act

being called before a king,

regarding

the

king and his

occupied only with his appearance.

you —

God

own

wishes to

to destroy self;

and you

wish to preserve w^hat he would destroy.

Be more It is

afraid of self than of the evil one.

the spirit of Satan to exalt self above

God, and

this spirit is fostered

continual returns

own

by these

you make upon your

doings and misdoings, which leaves

no place in your mind of God.

for the

occupation


MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION.

83

DIVERSITY OF MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION.

Although

there are impenetrable myste-

God's dealings with souls, in order to

ries in

promote

their sanctification,

true that

it is

each soul, aside from the ordinary means,

common

to

all,

has a specific training, and

method of the divine order can alone

this

The means

accomplish the work. another

sanctifies

my

You,

crosses

way

friend, will

and severe

little,

itself,

pride, ral

sufferings,

but in the

The

necessary for you

child-like, ;

Forget yourself as the

whom many of

not be led by great

therefore

has chosen a child, myself, to be your

helper.

the

is

that

not sanctify you.

of helpless infancy.

yielding soul

God

may

to

eyes are turned, and become

helpless one,

but

man

lets

who cannot take

another care for

it.

care

The

presumption and vanity, of the natu-

man, must give place to the

and simplicity of the

child.

littleness

Says our


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

84

S?^viour,

become

Except ye be converted, and

as

into the shall

"

we

kingdom of heaven." learn that

greatness, that

God for

children, ye cannot enter

little

it is littleness,

and not

God requires of his child me a maternal yearning

has given

your

soul.

I

sympathize deeply in your

wants and burdens.

Be

God

are

of the

O, when

of

Love

assured, the eyes

upon you.

treat you, yield to the influences

which are

in operation to restore your soul to I

can

in

all

offer

no apology

things, I

obey

my

for

my

Lord.

I en-

letter

God, ;

for


COMFORT IN AFFLICTION.

COMFORT I

85

IN AFFLICTION.

ASSURE you, Dear

I

Sir,

sympathize

With

my

deeply in your

afflictions.

heart I present

you before our Lord.

have prayed, and called to

still

all

I

you are

pray, that if

participate in the sufferings of

Jesus Christ, you

may

partake also of his

You

patience and submission. the Lord at

all

find

will

times near your heart,

you seek him by a simple and

when

sincere

He

will

be your support and consolation in

this

desire to

do and

time of trouble, fear

suffer his will.

if

you go

and agitation of

to him, not with

spirit,

but with calm,

confiding love.

Jesus said to the blind man, whose eyes

he anointed with clay, waters of Siloam'' quil.

"

Go wash

— waters

soft

in the

and

tran-

O, that you might experience the

abiding peace which Christ gives.

O, that

you might become reduced to the simplicity 8


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

86 of the

little

child

!

It is

the child

who

proaches the nearest to Jesus Christ.

whom

the child

carries in his attractive,

is

It is

he takes in his arms and

bosom.

O,

child-like

the sufferings you are

how

lovely,

simplicity!

now

how

May

experiencing,

render you, child-like and submissive to the will of your Father. bids

my

My

ill

writing more fully.

you, and you are very dear to

Amen.

ap-

Jesus, help.

all

health for-

God loves me in him.


BEARING FRUIT WITH CHRIST.

87

BEARING FRUIT IN UNION WITH CHRIST.

God

has united

oneness of his

my

own

soul to yours in the

nature,

and when

all

the obstructions on your part are removed,

you "

realize

will

We

have

many

this

same divine union.

masters, as said St. Paul,

This Fa-

but only one Father in ChrisV^ ther unites himself to us

of his

own

nature,

by the impartation

and from

commu-

this

nication, of himself to the soul, proceeds

our spiritual paternity

;

power by

or the

which we communicate to others what we

We

from him.

receive

how

sensible

this

itself to

All the gifts either

more

we

in others.

the subject

^ho

It

it

always

receives

and graces of the

sensible

render

In some individuals

more manifest than

adapts

not always

power, or aid

others, is imparted. is

are

it.

spirit are

and apparent,

or

spiritual

and inward,

power of

receptivity in the individual.

according

more

to

the


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

88

seems to

It

you, there

is

me

that

when

I

am

with

only a simple, imperceptible

transmission from

my

You

soul to yours.

do not perceive any marked

and

results,

they are not great, because you are not in

a state to receive much, and often interrupt

me by

speaking, which causes in

me

we were

to-

a vacillation of grace.

Tf

some considerable time without

gether

you

distraction,

marked

results.

would It

is

more

perceive

the desire of

that there should be, between us,

God

perfect

interchange of thoughts, of hearts, of souls

—a

flux

when At

and

reflux,

such as there will be

souls are new-created in Christ Jesus.

present,

my

soul in relation to yours,

as a river which

draw and

enters

invite the

is

into the sea, to

smaller river to lose

itself also in the sea.

This are in grace,

truth,

— the

fruitfulness of souls

who

God, whereby they communicate

— however

much

nevertheless, a truth.

it

is

rejected,

is,

This flux and reflux


BEARING FRUIT WITH CHRIST.

communication,

of

the

like

89

ebbing and

flowing of the great ocean-current, secret of the heavenly hierarchy,

is

the

and makes

a communication from superior orders to inferior,

of the

— and of

same

During of

God

and

equality,

order.

communication

eternity, the

all

the Father,

saints,

between angels

and

and the Son, to angels

their reciprocal

communi-

cation to each other, will be a well-spring

The design

of blessedness.

of God, in the

creation of men, has been to associate to

himself living beings, to

communicate

himself.

whom He

he could

could create

nothing greater than likenesses of himself. All the splendor of angels and saints,

God two

but

from God.

light reflected

saints,

is

could not see himseil reflected in

without their participating of these fruitfulness

qualities,

communication. consists, in that

mation of

this

In this

life all

perfection

which makes the consum-

same

8*

and reciprocal

perfection in heaven


LETTERS OP MADAM GUYON.

90

No

one nan be perfect,

as the is,

if

he

Father in heaven

is

is

not perfect

perfect; that

partaking of his nature.

Jesus Christ

is

the Father of souls

;

his

generation, or the souls that are begotten

of him, are eternal in their nature as he

The

figure, "

giving us his flesh to eat,"

is.

is

the nourishment he gives the soul in com-

munication with himself; or himself reproduced, or

Word soul.

is

begotten in us.

The

the essential, undying

life

eternal

of the


DESOLATE STATE.

91

DESOLATE STATE. Believe me, dear madam,

will not

hope

still

your confidence

in

J

God

on account of your present

fail,

desolate

take a deep

your spiritual welfare, and

interest in

earnestly

I

As

state.

plunges

winter

the

deeper the roots of the trees in the

plunges

wintry state of the

the

so

earth,

it

sou.

Remem-

deeper in humiliation.

ber the confidence of Job, " Although he

Although

slay me, I will trust in him. "

stripped of

all

consolation,

and

desolation of nothingness,

from,

God

in

rejoice

her foliage;

yet

;

let

God

self for her child,

affords

and

separate

is^

therefore

and

you may be

loves to sacrifice herfinds her life in

happiness; thus die to

it

relation to

When

you may yet

neither flowers nor fruit

The mother

happy.

of,

in the

Let the earth be stripped of

self.

appear

— out

left

what

self,

in

God.

your weaknesses

rise

up before


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

92 you,

when you would weep

over some

some

unguarded

error

judgment, or

in

do as

expression,

having

hands

the

little

who

to its mother,

carries

as

believe

you love the

arms

?

God

loves you, as

say, "

discovery of your

emptiness,

and while is

to

is

it

fill

" I

weakness and

an evidence of God's love

is

ground

for humiliation, it

When

also of thanksgiving.

God

much

A mother may

forget, yet I will never forget thee

The

Can

fall.

one enfolded in your

little

Does he not

its

cheerfully wipes

them, and consoles him after the

you not

who

child,

mud,

the

into

fallen

this

it

pleases

void with his grace,

cause of thankfulness

;

but

at all times this fullness,

we

if

we

it is

realized

should be in

danger of appropriating the grace of

God

to ourselves.

Thus, our times of desolation

are necessary,

and we should accept them

joyfully,

as

a portion of the bread our

father gives us.

Yours

in tender sympathy.


SELF-ABANDONMENT.

93

SELF-ABANDONMENT.

The at

death of

once.

death.

It

some time a

for

is

not accomplished

self is

living

Its opposite, spiritual life, is repre-

sented by EzekiePs vision of the dry bones. First, the

bones were rejoined; afterwards

covered with sinews

peared

and

;

finally,

then the flesh ap-

the spirit of the

When

animated them. incline

;

towards God,

the soul begins to

it

removed.

God, these obstructions are

The

to illustrate

many obas we yield

finds

structions; but in proportion to the will of

Lord

following simile will help

my

idea.

The

rivers

empty

themselves into the sea, before they lose themselves there.

ing

its

Wave by wave

course, seems to urge

river, to lose itself in the sea.

to the soul

follow-

onward the

God

some waves of pure

imparts love, to

urge on the soul to himself; but as the river

does not lose

itself in the

sea, until


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

94 its

own

waters are exhausted, so the soui

reaches God, and loses

when

the

means

As

an end.

itself in

God, only

of supply from self are at

the waves, which are precip-

itated into the sea, roll

many

times before

they are lost in the sea, so the soul under-

many

goes

changes, before

it

is

received

into God.

The

results of self-crucifixion are

because

We

God

lose

place.

then becomes

self,

We

all

to the soul.

and substitute God

take

receive the Infinite.

away This

the is

happy,

in its

finite,

blessed.

and


NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS.

95

NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS.

What

shall I

which you I

say regarding the state in

find yourself, in relation to

have no movement either to promote our

re-union, or hinder

it.

Let God

you leaning upon him,

or

on the creature,

ture?

If

reed,

which

Are

upon the

crea-

a bruised

is

it

whom

he finds

necessary afterwards to reject.

me

designs to remove

any wish

may die to

to retain

you ?

God

I

have

forbid.

He

make you

any confidence in the creature. longer design to use

benefit.

impurity,

with

through me.

If

on account of

his

God

my

pure

pride.

I

for

your

flowing

me I

He

my own

light

permit

given you any assurance of

What am

me

might have mingled

I

he

If

from you, can

design this separation, to

may no

is

direct.

God sometimes

will fail you.

makes use of instruments, it

me ?

to err,

it

have never

my infallibility.

but an erring creature

?

Leave


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

96

me, leave me, and unite yourself only to

God, who

Means

will never mislead you.

They

are good, only in the order of God. injure us, if

remove

me

we

rest

in them.

from you, acquiesce in

God

If

his will,

with a devotion worthy of a child of God.

Be humble, and courageous enough your fault, in leaning

Men

of the world

the child of

God

may

believe me,

you

will

in our dear Lord. lost in him,

you

I

may

What-

be between us,

always be dear to

me

when you

are

hope,

will find this little drop

of water, (myself) in the

of love.

flesh.

be obstinate, but

should be supple.

ever separation there

own

to

on an arm of

same

great ocean


CHILD OF GOD SOON TO DIE.

97

CHILD OF GOD SOON TO DIE.

HAVE had a presentiment

I

would not survive

you the most on

whom

I

rejoice in

and the only friend persecutions

rely, in the

which threaten me.

you

I lose in

this illness.

faithful,

could

that

my

I feel

your happiness.

I

loss,

but

could envy

you.

Death only lends a helping hand to

rend

away the veil, which hides infinite Our Lord has strongly cemented

beauties.

our souls.

May

divine Master rest

for all those,

I

benediction

upon you.

of the

Go, blessed

and receive the recompense prepared

soul,

Go,

the

we

who

are wholly the

separate in the

cannot say a

name

last adieu, for

forever united in him.

I

of the Lord

we

and

spirit,

9

at

shall

be

hope, in the good-

ness of God, to be present with hea^;

Lord's.

the

you

in

time of your


98

LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

departure,

and to receive with you, the

divine Master

my

who

is

waiting for you.

Be

ambassador in the courts above, and

say to him

I love

him.


UNION OF SOULS IN GOD.

99

UNION OF SOULS IN GOD.

The

assurance you give

of your soul with mine, tion.

It is

is

me

of the union

a great consola-

my

a union to which

fully responds, not in

a

way

transport, but in the depths of peace is

nothing of nature in

in Jesus

of our lost

condition,

Oh

abandonment.

where

Christ,

We

Christ.

all

!

;

there

a union

It is

it.

heart

of emotional

are one in a sense

and one

in

self-

blessed oneness with

and there

evils perish;

remains only the casualities

inseparable

from the state of humanity.

How

derful is this

are

all

God,

its

the evils of our fallen

nature,

removed from the depths of the

and the in

won-

sacred min-

a poor creature with

gling of

where

operation — the

its

soul, in its elemental

original!

are united in

water

There

Him,

all

— these

being

the

is lost

little

little

soul,

ones

drops of

reassembled in the divine ocean


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

100

How

swiftly

and flow into one channel, when

other,

the

do the streams embrace each

obstructions

become pure

souls

one

flow into

in Jesus Christ, they

with

another

entire separation

with God. has

When

I

the

same

Purity of soul consists in an

rapidity.

it

removed

are

the

The

from

self,

and re-union

soul can return to self;

power, and

therefore

is

not

infallible.

Our

my

union,

dear friend,

dent of the relish or disrelish of things

and

events.

me without

separated from

from

God

;

You

for it

seems

to

is

indepen-

all

could

created

not be

being separated

me, that

I

am

one with him, and inseparable, and you are the

same

;

and

thus,

Him, and one with each

we

are one in

other.

Ever yours, in the heart of Jesus,


SECRET OPERATIONS OF GRACE.

101

SECEET OPERATIONS OF GRACE.

My

heart has been tenderly united to

you, during

my

all

bodily sufferings.

proportion as the outward

God seems

reduced, of

my

a secret

more the

to be

your soul

may

than formerly, they are no is

has been

be

less

marked

less real.

in your heart,

fire

There

which burns This

continually, although imperceptibly.

keen and

continual

you, because

more

sensible

soul.

This

state oil

;

it

operation

and marked operations of the

is,

I

apprehend, your ordinary

with occasionally the unction of the

upon the concealed

you a sweet and

God.

bear two marked

divine presence

results

of the

interior recollection,

a continual amen in your heart

9^

fire,

clear manifestation

of the loving presence of

You

enfeebles

consumes so rapidly the

of grace poured

to give

life

Although the operations of

soul.

God upon

man

In

;

and

a true and


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

102

just response to all God's dealings with

your

soul.

I realise

This union

a very close union with you. is

not in the emotions, and not

in the will of man, but in the will of God. It is

a union, from which I could no more

separate

myself, than

from

God;

it

is

a fulfillment of the prayer of our Lord, *^

that they

It is

may

be one, as

we

are one."

a union which death cannot interrupt,

but will substantiate more and more fully in

God.

Ever yours, in our Lord.


TO A YOUNG FRIEND.

103

TO A YOUNG FRIEND.

You

my

are very dear to me,

not think

I

you

can render

Do

child.

God

ha¥e forgotten you.

alone

Give yourself

happy.

wholly to him, never more to take yourself

Love

back.

him with within

Retire often

your

all

the

closet

commune with God.

heart to

heart.

your

of

Do

not

pray to him in a constrained and formal

manner, but

all

simple and natural.

loves better the affectionate

language of

the heart, than the cold and

thoughts of the

intellect.

God

discursive

The prayer

of

love softens the heart.

Do

We

not shrink from your ordinary duties.

are often

more united

to

God, in our

daily avocations, than in retirement.

reason closely,

is,

our good Father holds us more

when we

temptations. times,

The

are

most

exposed to

Endeavor to maintain,

at all

harmony and oneness with God.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

104

You

have only to abandon yourself wholly

to divine love,

that devolve

and perform

upon you.

Do

all

the duties

not be restive,

and thus mar God's beautiful design and

upon your

operation

bosom of

rest,

soul*

your inquietudes, and

all

allow him to carry you, as a

borne by

its

Place in his

mother.

This

child is

little

little

one has

only to regard, lovingly, the smiles of

its

tender mother.

God

you a wise discernment

will give

as to food and drink,

of

life.

He

but not to a

calls life

and

all

the pleasures

us to a temperate

too austere.

We

avoid the too much and the too

life,

should little

in

eating and drinking. I

pray our divine

Lord, to enlighten,^

strengthen and comfort your heart.


LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE.

105

LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE.

-FINAL

The

state in

which

away from me

Father, takes

liberty to address

Spiritual

remains in

from

me

so

realize

I all

things,

my

entirely, the

you any longer

Guide.

detachment

I find myself,

as

my

great a

that

there

only a triumphant, dominant

which acknowledges no master but

love,

Love.

It is

my

experience, that the closer

the union of the soul with God, the more it is

separated from

creature.

all

dependence on the

I find also, that the secret

tions of divine love

upon the

soul,

opera-

cannot

be expressed.

These operations do not

consist in sweet

and

neither in

flattering expressions,

consolations, in

the

ordinary

way, but in the discovery of mysterious truths

;

truths,

which give so profound a

knowledge of God, that the soul can find no language to give expression to these views.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

106

To

and

speak,

He

with God.

"

When

divine

the

becomes what

and

Word

whole,

Word

this

Paul

is

Some

it

should

was

was no more Mary Mag-

it

who

lived in her.

says, " I live, yet not

me."

liveth in

Word

wills

soul

Magdalene

dalene, but Jesus Christ, St.

was done.

it

operates in the

When Mary

become.

made

spake,

any obstruction, the

without

soul,

same thing

to act, is the

In the

I,

Christ

same manner, the

my

incorporated into

soul.

time since, there was given

me

a

view of the States of Mary, the mother of our Lord.

and

my

I

soul

divine love.

was alone

itself,

ner

of

my

The

I will

hands,

was conveyed

souls.

divine

God It

for

chamber,

filled

with

Word seemed

show thee the

— a perfect

— the heart of Mary.

love of

my

was completely

say within me, "

work

in

"

to

chief

nothing in

In this

man-

to me, the inexpressible

men

his operation in pure

was shown me,

that her silence

and acquiescence in the wiU of God

;

her


LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE. entire self-crucifixion

and hidden

worthy of imitation

and that

;

107

were

life

this

same

love

which had operated so powerfully

upon

this soul,

draw

other souls

to

make an

emptied of

desired to

self,

to her states,

also

effusion of the

and

same grace and

love in them, as in her.

O

how

how marvellous

great are thy wonders,

thy operations on is lost

human

divine love

hearts

My

!

in the depths of thy secret

soul

wonders

Silence, silence — only silence I

my

write to you,

time, to bid

you a

Father, for thor last

final adieu.

I

can no

longer listen to any other teachings, than this divine is

Word

of eternal Truth, which

spoken in the depths of

however

far

separated

relation of Director,

you

dear in the affections of

pure love, which

is

my

heart.

But

from you, in the are very near

my

heart

;

and

in that

alone the operation of

our Lord Jesus Christ.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

108

GLORY OF GOD THE ONE DESIRE.

What on

have

we

to desire in

heaven and

God ? But it is glory of God as he

earth, only the glory of

necessary to desire the desires

He who

it.

has absolute power

over the heart of man, has a plan of operations

;

he does

all

things in their time

waits until the hour into the world, our

is

come.

In

;

Lord could have convertall its

but the economy of his wisdom did

When

not so direct. "

he

coming

ed the world at once, and destroyed vices

;

Mine hour

is

I

hear our Lord say,

not yet come^^^ and wishing

neither to advance nor retard, for a

moment,

the hour that his Father had appointed, I

am

plunged into

my

nothingness.

We are

only instruments in his hands, which he

may

lay aside, or use according to his good

pleasure.

We

should be so dead to

to be indifferent, whether he

us or not.

self,

as

makes use of


GLORY OF GOD THE ONE DESIRE. Remain,

therefore,

hand of God.

and by you, to cast

my

dear friend, in the

Let him accomplish

all his

I

love you.

10

in you,

good pleasure, whether

down, or build up.

how much

109

God knows


LETTERS OF JV^ADAM GUYON.

110

SPIRITUAL UNION AND AID. Spiritual union, very clear in

may

my

not be able to give you a definite

impression of this you,

a state of the soul

is

perception, although I

it

state.

In order to benefit

became necessary

into your state, to have

me

for

to enter

an experimental

knowledge, an endurance and suffering of the

same

state.

By

have

this experience I

been brought into closer relation to God, partaking more fully of the Christ-like nature

by being rendered capable of bearing

the infirmities of others. also,

And

I

have had,

a clearer idea of that quality of God,

whereby he multiplies holy

souls,

communication of himself.

In this expe-

rience, the soul appears to be in

God

in her, as

first

by the

God, and

cause, drawing

and

penetrating the soul nearest to himself, and

by penetration,

in

this

soul,

through her instrumentality, souls.

drawing,

many

other


SPIRITUAL UNION AND AID.

Ill

Although by these powerful rays the soul itself

may seem

other souls, yet

by

it is

efficiency;

his

this efficiency,

to penetrate

God who draws them

and he communicates

most powerfully,

that there seems to

is this soul,

be no space between the the souls tality.

first

moved by the agent

There

is

to those in

So pure and

closest contact with himself.

transparent

and draw

Mover and

or instrumen-

a difference between the

ray and the body of the sun, although difficult to separate the

the divine ray, which

It is

it is

ray from the sun. is

transmitted

through this soul, as the natural ray through the

medium

same

rays, transmitted through

and from soul

common tion

is

These

of the atmosphere.

to soul, unite

centre,

many

them

in

and thus the bond of

complete in God.

I

ma^

ness of expression

is

wanting

one filia-

not ex-

press myself so as to be understood.

your light supply, what

souls,

May

in clear-


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

112

m

LIVE

THE PRESENT.

Do not expect, my dear E., that the will of God will be made apparent to you in The most remarkIt was by an

any extraordinary way.

able events occur naturally.

order of the Emperor, that Joseph, being

of the house and lineage of David, went to

be taxed at Bethlehem, where the holy child Jesus

was

water was near to

down God, of

The fountain of Hagar, when she laid

born.

the child to die

my friend,

his

mth

thirst.

Behold

in the present arrangement

providence

for

you, and submit

wisely to passing events.

He

sees the end

from the beginning, and plans wisely his children.

limited

view

O, to

how good his

far

for

to submit our sight,

reaching

through time and eternity

Remember, to

the present

moment comes

you as the moment of God.

his glory,

and every succeeding

Use

it for

moment


LIVE IN THE PRESENT.

Thus the present becomes the

[n

mo-

we must render account God. May God be All in All to us every passing moment, now and forever.

ment, for which to

eternal

113

10^


LETTERS oF MADAM GUYON.

114

HOW TO

A

SINGLE word, spoken in the

more weight,

have

spirit

of

with humility and sweetness, will

Christ,

than

ADMINISTER REPROOF.

many words

The reason

in

correcting

uttered in our

is this

:

when

others,

own

spirit.

passion mingles

may

with correction, although the truth

be

spoken, Jesus Christ does not cooperate

with

Therefore, the person

us.

rected

by what we

to the

manner of

firmed in the

evil.

Christ speaks

by

cious,

correction, is

more con-

In proportion as Jesus

without

self,

his

us, or

word

without

is

effica-

and turns the heart of the person to

whom we I

opposed

say, but, being

us,

the minglings of

is jiot cor-

know

speak, to receive

there are

ingly, his

what we

some who

resist,

say.

know-

word, but our passionate zeal

does not correct them. It is

God

moment of may see real

important to wait the

to correct others.

We


HOW faults,

TO ADMINISTER REPROOF.

may

but the person

115

not be in a state

to profit by being told their faults.

It is

not wise to give more than one can receive.

This

is

what

I call

preceding the

light,,

the light shines so far in advance of the person, that

Lord

Our

does not benefit him.

it

said to his apostles, " I

have

many

but you cannot bear

things' to say to you,

them now."

The prophet

says, the

Lord

carries his

A

children in his arms, as a nurse.

nurse

could wish that the child could walk alone,

Let

but she waits in patience the time.

us do the same, and never discourage the

weak. with the

Let us not destroy the good grain

Who

tares.

does not admire

long suffering patience of

may add

God ?

to St. Paul's words, all

"

*

the

And

I

unworthy

who admire it, how few imitate it If those to whom God has given so much grace, have so many faults themselves, with how much patience should they bear with those who are less favored. as I am, and of those !


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

116

t

BEARING THE STATES OF CHRIST.

my

During

late severe illness,

impression rested on

my

a strong

mind, that

was

I

called to participate in the last sufferings

of Jesus heart was, all

The language

Christ. 1

thy will

I

am

In thus yielding

heart, as

new bond

of

alli-

and these words,

"I

wiU

was

the

I realized ;

betroth thee unto

a

me

forever,"

voice of the Bridegroom to

Paul

my

called to sacrifice his be-

ance with Christ

When

my

ready, O, Father, to suffer

Abraham when loved Isaac,

of

said,

''

I

my

soul.

bear in

my

body

the marks of the Lord Jesus," he did not refer to

any external marks in the

flesh,

to bearing the states of Jesus Christ.

David

are expressed

all

In

the states of Christ,

with the difference only there the type

but

and the original.

is

between

Job was an

eminent instance of being reduced to nothingness,

and

also of exaltation

by the favor


BEARING THE STATES OF CHRIST.

Those who pass through the

of God. furnace,

117

and

with Christ, are pre-

suffer

pared to wear the white robe, which adorns the bride, the

Lamb's

Their souls

wife.

become the dwelling-place of the

Most

High.

Are

not

palaces,

those

subterranean

which we read of in

which are reached erns,

beautiful

after crossing

fable,

deep cav'

and so hidden that none can

them, only those to

whom

and

find

the secret

is

revealed, representative of the interior pal-

ace of the soul, where the Lord inhabits; "

The

king's daughter

is all

glorious with-


LETTERS OF

118

MADAM GUYON.

OUR IMPERFECTIONS SHOULD NOT HINDER OUR LABORS FOR OTHERS. Although

am

I

so

weak and unworthy

God uses me for The many defects of

in myself,

the good of

others.

our tempera-

rnent, should not hinder our labors in behalf

These

of others.

faults

have nothing to do

with the grace, which operates effectively

on the souls

for

himself,

reveals

mothers in

Israel,

dence in them their

;

whom we

labor.

God

through the fathers and

and thus increases while, at the

confi-

same time,

weaknesses forbid placing too much

dependence on them.

Although our Lord acquaints us with his designs regarding others,

we may

and the aid

render them, yet this should not

give us the least desire to aid them, only in the

order

of his providence.

Neither

we be arrested in his work, although God souls we aid repulse the effort.

should the will

make good

the results in due time.


LABORS FOR OTHERS. implies great death to

It

our hand as

it

self,

never to put

work of the Lord,

selfishly to the

does, also, never to go a step out of

the path in which he leads us.

mingle his

119

self,

work.

we

retard, rather

Nature

is

When we

than advance,

so corrupt that

it

deeply infests spiritual things, and so subtle as to conceal itself under all artifices. I

do not know

thus.

why

God knows, and

I

have written you

that is sufficient


120

MADAM GUYON.

LETTERS OF

DEATH, RESUEEECTION. This

When to

their

cry, as

no time to be disheartened.

is

the sinful lusts rebel, leave

a child from

them

Let them

cravings.

disorderly

whom we

away

take

a dangerous yet pleasing toy.

Strengthen

You

yourself for crosses and humiliations. will soon be

is

made

alive in Jesus Christ.

The

extraordinary peace

the

oommmencement

you have

of the resurrec-

tion-life.

This peace

is

cause th e

new

given

yet,

you,

I assure

whole

soul.

life is it

tasted,

not invariable, be-

will

As God has

little

soon

by

little,

fill

your

rapidly advanced

inward death, and caused you to run, with a giant step, in the

and

this,

way

of self-crucifixion,

notwithstanding

tions of the carnal

man, he

all

the opposi-

will also thus

rapidly advance the resurrection.

The

loss,

of

all

things of the earthly

which follows the recuscitated

life,

life,

will

be


DEATH, RESURRECTION.

The death and

deep and extended.

which precede the

121 burial

resurrection, cannot

com-

pare with that total loss, which follows the resuscitated ent,

and

in

life.

This

new

a

is

state.

something

You

differ-

will

arise

from the sepulchre, as the Spouse of the Beloved.

consumed

All is

in myself, not in the

ordinary way, but in a total loss there remains nothing or

known.

It

self is carried

so that

which can be named

seems to me, the death of

almost to

many unknown this

;

infinity, it

steps.

makes

Since this morning,

unworthy creature experiences a

greater reduction of self

Die, live

again

;

;

lose yourself,

so

still

than ever before.

and

find yourself

then you will have experience of

this state.

11


MADAM GUYON.

LETTERS OF

122

GRACE DEEPLY INTERIOR.

While you

perceive nothing sensible, or

apparent, in your religious state, there

same

at the

time, e^ddence to others of a

hidden spring of

God

life

within your soul.

does not give you the sweet rain

which,

falling, clothes all

the surface of the

soul with verdure, but he gives

deep

and

and

flowers,

upon the earth This

in the

said, the life of

as grass,

is

and withers

in the even-

refers to the natural life,

flourishes in the

man

which groweth

also true of the selfish life of

life,

you

-substantial fruits, ripening

in the morning,

ing.

means

which are born and die David

for eternity.

you the

and produce, not herbs

flourish,

same day, but

is

by which

well-spring,

live

up

is,

morning of the

but

man.

it

It

spiritual

but no sooner does the sun of right-

eousness arise in his warmth, than this withers and

is

cut down.

The

life

righteous


GRACE DEEPLY INTERIOR. are as a tree planted

whose

leaf i3

by the

123

rivers of water,

always green.

This

is

be-

cause the roots are well watered by the deep-flowing current.

God heart.

soul

is

never ceases to operate in your

The

calm, resigned state of your

proof of

Take good

this.

Do not God will

care of your health.

labor beyond

your

strength.

abundantly reward you for your labors of love in behalf of others.

he never

my I

fails to

These are labors

recompense.

I

pray God,

dear F., to preserve you for his work.

have

many

Your time

is

things to say, but I forbear. precious.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

121

SELF-RENUNCIATION.

God

designs you,

my

friend, for himself

but he will lead you by a way, entirely

opposed to what you have marked

out.

He

self-

does this in order to destroy your

This

love.

accomplished only by the

is

overthrow of

all

your

purposes,

precon-

ceived views, natural reason and sagacity. Self-love

many

has

hiding-places.

You

alone can search them out.

God

seek the

honor that cometh from man, and love to

occupy a high

position.

reduce you to

littleness,

Believe me, dear

spirit.

in grace, not

books truths,

;

God

and poverty of sir,

you

will

grow

by knowledge acquired from

not from reasonings upon divine

but by an efflux from God.

efflux will reach

and

fill

much occupied

ing, reading

and

This

your soul, in pro-

portion as you are emptied of are so

wishes to

self.

You

of yourself in speak-

writing, that

you give no


SELF-RENUNCIATION.

Make room, and God

place to God.

come

many

speak of your

cares.

give yourself wholly to

cares

idence,

I entreat

self to

dom. so

God

you

to

and

yield

Him become

Let

You will then much need.

May you

by long

In the

self-leadings,

God.

effect

his Prov-

name of God, renounce your own wis-

years of planning.

dom, your

God, these

and arrange by

what you cannot

you

If

be greatly diminished.

will

will think for you,

you

will

in.

You will

125

up your-

your wis-

find the place of rest,

read this

letter,

with depend-

ence on the Spirit, which has dictated

and without regard your heart will I

is

life, it

if

God

destroys the natural

only to give you himself.

deavor to be nothing, that all.

what

Take courage, and be

have written.

persuaded that

When

void,

space.

11*

and

to the instrument,

testify to the truth of

it,

God

En-

God may

himself

fills

be the


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

126

UNEXPECTED FAULTS. Yesterday, uttered

I

some words

much

very

after

the

left

a

;

not like the pangs of penitence experienced, but

more

subtle

and

was

more

the

Whether

soul it

was

suffering

formerly

I

and

interior

acquiescent.

the words I uttered too the

precipitately, or

reflections

that

lowed, which caused this suffering,

A

not determine.

could

seemed

we

see the

ocean reject certain things, which again more deeply into I

I

fol-

part of myself

thrown out of God, as

to be

I

and suffered

hastily,

consequence

in

parlor,

seemed to myself

its

it

receives

bosom.

Thus

be rejected, and

to

without any power to make the least move-

ment that

to return, I

was

rejected.

remain where

moment he

KI

should

and without even a

God

received

afflict

I

was

regret

willing to

placed me, until the

me

again to himself.

myself on account of this


UNEXPECTED FAULTS.

127

experience,

which was new and unexpected,

I believe it

would be wrong, and

more the

soul.

The depths

remain unchanged

— fixed

sully

still

my

soul

God.

He

of

in

removes the impurity, that has exteriorly sullied

it,

and holds the soul

still

his

own.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

128

APOSTOLIC STATE. HAVE read your

I

great pleasure. is to

become

all

letter,

The

my

dear F., with

true Apostolic state

things to

all

men

;

that

is,

to impart to each one spiritually, according

to his

Only those who are

necessities.

reduced to

littleness

and

power of communicating

this

have

simplicity,

They

grace.

have also the ability to sympathise deeply in the states of others

measure

;

their burdens,

in great heaviness

on

of bearing in

some

and are sometimes This

their account.

communication of grace and

aid,

is

not

necessarily restricted to the personal pres-

ence of the individual.

We may be " absent

in body, yet present in spirit," after the

manner

of God's operations;

angelic powers

communicate

and as the to us.

It is

only by the enlightening of God's Spirit, that

we

we

realise the state of those to

are spiritually united.

whom


APOSTOLIC STATE.

Unity of souls

129

experienced, not only

is

who have

with those in the body,

affinity

with ourselves, but also with those out of the body.

I realise

with the holy prophet

David, a correspondence and unity, which

You

renders our souls one in God.

will

experience this unity with the saints more fully,

when

away.

perception of self

all

Ye are come to an

"

Paul says,

St.

innumerable company of angels spirits

was in

of just

in the

men made

the

David

perfecf^^

They were both deeply

The

Christians.

interior

— to

Old Testament, what Paul was

New.

the

taken

is

Apostles,

after

having received the Holy Ghost, spake This

languages.

This

is

a

also

They communicated

meaning. cording

has

to

the

speaking the word

word

by the manna, and the the Lord Jesus Christ,

bread of

life

in the soul.

grace, ac-

one.

— the efficacious

word, which replenishes the nourishing, life-giving

spiritual

of each

necessities

all

is

soul.

represented

reality is

who

is

This

found in

himself the

Amen, Jesus

!


130

LETTERS OF

MADAME GUYON.

PAINFUL EXPERIENCE.

my

To-day

health

better,

is

myself able to reply to your

be accepted; whether

letter.

God

the view of yourself that

and I find

gives you

relates

it

Let

to

your

fallen condition in general, or to particular

faults

;

but add nothing

your own

These continual

reflections.

reflex acts of the

mind do not help you

they do not remove the

all

that

is

I

which render you almost insup-

portable to yourself. plishes the

;

am not yourself so many

faults.

surprised that you find in evils, evils

view by

to this

When

God' accom-

work of purification, he removes

opposed

to the divine inflowing

life.

These

now

evils

of your nature, which are

apparent, and which were deeply con-

cealed, are perceived

they are places.

by you only because

passing out from their hiding-

have so deep

All persons do not

a knowledge of themselves

;

therefore do


PAINFUL EXPERIENCE. not suffer so much, because

131

all

are not

destined to so profound a death and burial

Be

while in the body. bitter cup.

until after

more

silent,

and drink the

These humiliations

your state

is in

which they slight,

some

will

and only

the death and burial

is

will endure

degree, perfected

become more and at

intervals, until

consummated.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

132,

ECSTACY OF THE MIND, AND THE WILL OR HEART. — THE DIFEERENCE.

The

some degree united and by

the true state,

is

;

When

the

will

loss of the

This loss of the will

which

love

is

any violence

the controlling

and the soul

follows,

reduced to unity

;

as

is

a permanent

is

effected without

is

to nature. exercise,

love.

ecstasy,

and

to

God, only by the

loses itself in will

man can be in God but the soul

intellectual part of

natural

the

in

exercise of love, the stronger the love, the

greater the submission of the soul to the

object beloved.

Sacred love does not bind

the soul to a resignation, in parts,

but draws

wholly in

it fully,

until

some of

it is

its

absorbed

this divine oneness.

The mind may tend towards

its

divine

object, with ardor, but the will not con-

curring, causes dissonance

impetuous transports.

and swooning,

I call this

or

moment-


THE MIND AND WILL. ary ecstasy

it

;

133

cannot long endure without

separating the soul from the body.

The is,

difference

between these two

states

as that of water, retained in the air

a machine, and of a

river,

into the sea, as ordered

by

running naturally

by the grand Archi-

tect of the universe.

Love, which carries

the will in

changes the whole

man; This loss

its

train,

this is the divine, the true ecstasy. is

what

of the

is

called transformation,

soul in

God.

It

is

and

certain,

however, that the creature always remains

a being distinct from God. 12


134

LETTERS OF

MADAM GUYON.

A VIEW OF The

SELF.

activity of the natural selfish

life, is

the greatest obstacle to your progress.

Al-

low of nothing which gives sustenance to this

Be on your guard

life.

against ap-

Applaud not yourself when you

plause.

have done

well.

Admit no

reflections in

regard to the good you have accomplished, so that all that nourishes gelf-complacency

may

die.

Possess your soul in peace as possible effort

;

not by

;

by

letting

Be

bles you.

as

we

do not

go everything that trou-

you may

quiet, that

you discover your stop,

as

but by ceasing from

leave water to settle

When to

effort,

much

when errors

settle,

agitated.

and

sins,

under whatever good pretext,

remedy them. Rather abandon yourself

at once to

you,

all

God, that he

that

assure you,

is

you

may

destroy, in

displeasing to

him.

I

are not capable of your-


A VIEW OF SELF.

135

Your

to correct the least fault.

self,

remedy

is

abandonment

maining quiet in

to

his hands.

only

God, and If

you

re-

dis-

covered the depth of inward corruption in

your heart, your courage would this

account,

part, the

them

God

On

!

conceals from us, in

view of our

sins,

and discovers

to us, only as he destroys them.

Rest assured,

God

and mercy.

When

You you

loves you.

Have

take care of you.

by.

fail

are in trouble,

Have good

will be well.

You

will

faith in his love

will see farther

to write me.

our Lord.

He

by and

do not

fail

courage, and

are very dear to

me

all

in


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

136

STATE OF A SOUL IN UNION WITH GOD. Although, I

in the latter part of

my

life,

do not perceive those marked states of

abandonment and submission, interior sorrows,

such as

I

neither of

formerly expe-

rienced, this does not prove that these dis-

no longer

tinct states

exist;

but the soul

having become more fully established in

God,

it

makes

less affected

account of them, or

less

is

As

by external impressions.

pure flowing v/ater leaves no trace where it

passes, so these distinct states leave

durable impression.

have

and

lost

its

aversion,

own

The

God.

in

unto 1

seems to

of

resistance

qualities

It is

cannot write so fully of

"

soul

and runs, without ceasing

into its Original.

as formerly.

no

on

this

my

states of

account

I

mind

My soul, in its depths, rests My peacCj says Christ, / give

you.^^

pray for the church

;

I

mourn

at time


STATE OF A SOUL WITH GOD. that

God

so

is

known and

little

137

loved

;

but

these feelings are transient, and the soul is

God

ready to take any impression that gives

While

it.

sistency of

seems to have no con-

it

own, so to speak,

its

itself to the state of others

Sometimes even

facility.

stories, to children,

and

adapts

it

with wonderful

amusing

relating

to those

who

can-

not be entertained in any other way.

The God,

is

sometimes permitted

things to come, to

this state of

soul, in

union with to

foretell

which appear very obscure

man, but which

are, nevertheless, infalli-

God.

bly true, because proceeding from

The knowledge

of the event, and

come

explanation, will time.

The

soul

is

ready for nothing.

from ture. itself,

God what

is

;

The

its

fuU

in the fulness of

ready for anything; All that is true

comes

not true, from the crea-

soul does not seek to justify

nor produce humiliation, but passes

on, disregarding

self,

12^

and absorbed

in

God.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

138

STATE OF REST IN GOD. do not reply to you, Dear

If I

soon as you might expect,

it is

hold myself in reserve, until

I

Sir,

as

because

I

have a move-

to write,

and not from any want of

regard to you.

Relative to the distinct,

ment

voluntary acts of

ment,

would be

it

state, to

to

appropriation

have given to

still

far as I

to give

him.

It

the

my

because such acts

acts,

know,

My same

self-

remaining; whereas,

Sovereign, I

soul

all

that I

I

am

have nothing more

is

at rest in his will.

in regard to prayer, or

petitions.

The

method of

prayer, all other prayer

foreign to

it.

request,

present

imply something of

my

and as

is

difficult, in

make such

would seem

renounce-

resignation,

soul having a very simple

When

it

seems

would make a

and as soon as the soul knows

distinctly

what

it

demands, there

is

some-

thing which goes before to accomplish

it,


STATE OF REST IN GOD.

139

When

without the utterance of words. the soul utters words, or

^f the prayer

spirit is

makes

petitions,

accompanying approves, the

made with

ease.

If the spirit

do

not cooperate, the words are uttered with difficulty, or

not at

all.

God

takes the

place of self in the soul, and there prays for things agreeable to his will.

state of the soul, in

which

it

This

is

a

has no desire

to originate prayer, but loves to be silent in the presence of

rience

more

express. it

means

God.

This

satisfactory than I

O, that

all

the earth

is

an expe-

am

able to

knew what

to keep silence before the

Lord


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

140

GREAT HUMILIATIONS. I

It

HAVE a

clear discernment of

seems to me,

God

as

of truth,

sees

it

some measure

I see it in ;

that

is,

your state

in the pure light

— the reasons why you

suffer,

and

the blessed results of these sufferings.

I

have known that the period of discipline

would be suffer

long,

and very long, because you

not only on your

own

also for the benefit of others.

account, but

God

you to accomplish great things and

destines

for his glory,

exterior humiliations in your case not

being suited to his designs, he makes use of concealed humiliations, yourself and God.

I will

Paul.

my

My

strength

It will

grace is

repeat to

sufficient for

to

you St.

thee

perfect in weakness.

be in companionship with humil-

iations, that

into sin

is

made

only to

by our Lord

the words addressed "

known

and

you

will

error,

be saved from falling

and be prepared

to be


GREAT HUMILIATIONS.

come

a vessel

fit

for the Master's use.

You

and when you

of these humiliating states,

think they have entirely passed away,

they will suddenly revive.

But

your humiliation, the more

you

141

from time to time, a return

will experience

may

to perform his

most

the greater

God

will use

excellent works.

In this state of entire self-reduction and humiliation, your words will be clothed

with power.

am

" I fire

—a if

come," says our Lord, "

on the

earth."

O

sacrifice for the

the

be

fires

martyr of Pure Love,

good of

others,

already kindled

bosom, shrink not!

to bring

If

in

you were

what your

less to

God, he might spare you.

Do

not hesitate to speak to

sufferings,

because

It is not so. plicity,

If

it

me

of your

appears to you useless.

you speak of them

in sim-

your heart will be relieved, and

strengthened.

with you.

I

God

know how bless you.

to sympathise


142

LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

REPOSE OF THE SOUL IN GOD.

Having given up myself wholly and loving can

I find

sure

?

Him

far better

any opposition

How

can

I

God,

to

than myself, to his

how

good plea-

do otherwise than yield

How

to one I love better than myself?

can a soul withdraw from the dominion of a Sovereign, that heart

"

?

What

it

loves with the whole

can separate us from the

love of God, in Christ Jesus

while

we remain

possibility

in this

?

"

life,

Although, there

is

a

of sinning, and of separation

from God, and

it

is true,

that the

soul

remains in oneness with Him, only by the continuance of his mercy, and that should leave

it, it

if

would immediately

he fall

into sin, yet I cannot have the least fear,

that

my God

will leave

me, or that

1 shall

ever separate myself in any degree from his love.

The

creature can take

no glory

to

itself,


REPOSE OF THE SOUL IN GOD. to whatever state

may

it

— the sense

express

of God, to keep

how

jealous,

God seems seem

I

that

cannot

I

have of the goodness

what

is his

watchful he

so truly

O

arrive.

you might comprehend what

143

all

own

How

!

over the soul

is

things to me, that

I

to see nothing, to love nothing, relish

what he causes me

nothing, only

and

love

relish

himself.

in

to see,

am

I

only

capable of loving and submitting to him,

much

so

my

he

is

I believe

life.

God

blindfold, without questioning or reasoning.

God is

is

;

How

this is sufficient.

the freedom of the soul in

you not doubt,

away from

O

God.

that

when

I

God, can

how God

take far

!

I

!

of self

O may is

taken

the creature, there remains only I

have any

or appropriate aught as

can

all

him

immense

it ?

How

self-interest,

mine?

In

what

strange the thought

removed from the possession of

am

lost.

God

is.


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

144

POWER OF CASTING OUT EVIL Although

many

for

SPIRITS.

profound

years,

truths have been revealed to me,

and God

has manifested his power through me, in

my

an extraordinary manner,

state

has

invariably been one of infancy, simplicity

and candor.

me

God's

has rendered

grace

equally willing to

lie

concealed, or to

execute his will more publicly.

seven years, without

was accomplished,

During

my knowing how

it

as soon as I have ap-

proached some persons, possesed by demons, the

evil

realised

spirits

have

depg.rted.

simply a desire to relieve them,

and

this desire, or prayer, has

in a

way unknown

I

have

I

been answered

Of

to myself.

have no goodness nor power at

only the capacity of a child

all.

— of

myself, I

have

letting

myself be used by God, as pleases Him.

My life appears natural. I am encompassed with infirmities. My health is greatly im-


CASTING OUT EVIL SPIRITS.

My

paired.

infirmities

are

a

145 balance-

wheel, a counterpoise to exaltation. life

is

Yet

ever flowing, without any thought

of the means of sustaining

the air

it

;

as

we live

without thinking of the air

breathe.

13

in

we


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

146

STATE OF A SOUL KE-UNITED TO GOD. In reply to your enquiry,

my am

concerning

dren,

that exteriorly, I

My

like.

state,

my

dear chil-

would

I

say,

open, simple, child-

resembles a drop of

interior

water, mingling and lost in the ocean, and

no more discerning

— the

itself,

only surrounding, but absorbing divine immensity, the

enjoys

all

objects in

and obscurity light

soul

God.

it.

In this

discerns

All

is

This has been

Thus,

my

state

and

darkness

in respect to itself;

on the part of God.

to me.

sea not

God

all

is

is all

more than

thirty years, although in latter years I

have

realized greater depths in these experiences.

Think of the bottomless sea what is thrown ;

therein,

continues

reaching the end.

weight of the

sinking,

Thus

without

divine love is the

soul, that sinks it

deeper in God.

"

God

is

ever

deeper and

Love, and he

who


A SOUL RE-UNITED TO GOD. dwells in love, dwells in God, and

O

him. "

immensity

147

God

in

I

Jesus Christ, the embodiment of truth

and

love, has explained the

fulfilling

them.

So when the

passed into God, the the soul, as

thou truth,

by

art

it

was

thyself the

which

thyself,

is

Scriptures by

Word

is

in Christ.

soul

has

fulfilled in

O

Love

pure, naked, simple

expressed, not

through me.

Amen.

by me, but


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

148

CONCISE YIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY.

The

God

soul seeks

in faith not by the

reasonings of the mind and labored

efforts^

but by the drawings of love; to which in* clinations soul,

God

responds^ and instructs the

which co-operates

actively,

puts the soul in a passive

by

tion,

and

then

where he

all,

causing great progress,

way of

enjoyment, then by priva-

accomplishes first

state,

God

finally by

What do we way ? It is to within us.

pure Love.

understand by the Interior seek the

Luke

kingdom of God

17, 21.

We

find

kingdom only where God has placed within the soul. then, to

findP

becomes necessary,

and observations, w^hich

in the pride of reason, has located

around

Word

it,

withdraw the eyes of the soul from

external landmarks

man,

It

this

it,

and

rest the

of the Lord,

eye in "

faith,

on the

Seek and ye shall

This seeking, involves an interior


VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. activity of the soul;

and searching

nation,

When the is

developed

of

God

God more

God, and that

— to

it

it

is

hidden.

kingdom

Interior recol

and the

perceptible

pre-

and agree-

was supposed,

that the

only the thought of

was necessary

to force the

concentrate the thoughts with

God.

violence to find

some

what

within, this little.

God was

presence of

mind

after

less difficult,

Formerly

able.

by

little

becomes

sence of

a desire, a determi-

the soul has thus earnestly sought

kingdom

lection

149

This

is

true

in

sense, but, as the soul cannot long

endure this tension, and as the kingdom of

God

is

not found in the external vestments

of the soul, but in is

of

little

avail.

its

So

depths, this labor little

progress

is

made, the soul becomes discouraged, and

who fears nothing so much as of God in the soul, makes an

the evil one,

the reign effort to

draw the

soul to externalities.

In order to accomplish this object, he takes two methods, either by excessive la-

13^


LETTERS OP MADAM GUYON.

150 bors,

persuading the soul that this

way

to

the

is

God, and thus choking the

find

internal process of the interior this tension of the

life, or,

mind, of which

I

by

have

Neither of these methods open in

spoken.

the soul, the interior way.

You

reply,

plished?

how, then,

in all things all

within, draws near

and teaches him a

to him,

accom-

answer, God, seeing the heart

I

him who seeks him

of

is this life

;

and,

by

this

just moderation

retrenchment of

excess in externals, the soul begins to

perceive the peaceful kingdom.

within

itself

a guide,

who

It realizes

provides for

necessities, according to divine laws,

takes

away

a guide

its

who

the burdens that sin imposes

who

does not foster corrupt nature,

nor forbid innocent pleasures.

When

the soul begins to perceive this

kingdom, and that the King himself manifested in some degree,

munes, (and step),

O,

my

we may Beloved,

it

thus com-

call this the I

is

second

have sought thee


VIEW OF IHE with

the strength of

all

WAY.

JNT^JRIOR

my

heart, in the

me

place where thou hast taught thee,

and

I

have there found thee

and nights have

I

All the desires of

But now

I

151

to seek

Days

!

passed in seeking thee.

my

heart go after thee.

have found thee.

pray thee

I

to reign as Sovereign, to establish

empire in alone.

my

I will resign to

have to myself;

all

ness, hast given to

At from ingly,

I will

soul.

this stage

the

all

that thou,

to

is

advance

regard, lov-

way

of

or place

it,

with

all

might hinder the

was a

its

first

any

The

progress.

its

soul has been active, in the

this

by thy good-

operation of God, without a

obstacle in the

and

the right I

me.

work

desire either to

destroy,

do thy will

of progress, the soul ceases

Its

self.

thee

thine

stage, to

power, that which

kingdom

great effort

of ;

God

within

for habit

rendered interior recollection very

difficult,

and the powers of the soul did not reunite themselves in one centre.

had

easily


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

152

Now the

the soul seeks no longer to combat

which hindered

obstacles,

within, but lets

its

return

God combat and

act in

Saying,

the soul.

it is

time O, Lord, that

thou shouldst take possession of thy king-

dom

Do

!

desire,

on

pray thee, exclusively.

so, I

my

part,

I

only to observe thine

operation.

This commencement of the reign of God,

and of the passive way, relished

by the

very highly

is

The

soul.

passes

soul

days, and even years, separated from creature enjoyments without weariness.

much more by

vances very little

time, than

years. fections, little

It is

by

all

ad-

way, in

this

the efforts of

many

not without faults and imper-

but divine love diminishes them

by little,

or does not permit the soul to

become disturbed by them, discouraged and

its

cause to fear

;

it

lest it

The

supposes that

done, and that

it

become

love hindered.

state is called passive love.

is

It

This

soul sees all

the

no

work

has only to pass into


VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY. eternity,

and

to enjoy this

who already gives much fulness. But it

good Sovereign,

himself to the soul in so

onward progress of thq

soul,

becomes no longer doubtful, whether the

soul

of

in the

153

to

is

remain in the passive enjoyment

God and

his

communications.

begins to feel a drawing, to only be

all

of his

riences

what

from the

It

the soul,

God first

The

gifts. is

or, rather,

now

expe-

exile

of the

has an impression, that

very painful, for

This exile

God

it

is

temptations,

is

at

important to

from the commencement of in the

depth of the soul to the

possession of him, there are

is

enjoy-

hears a voice in the depth of

notice, that,

state

not

soul's

soul

Christ, the

reigns there alone.

seeking

God

by the author of

called,

the Imitation of heart.

soul

things in the soul, but there

to reign separate

ment

let

The

sorrows.

marked by a

many

trials,

Every successive purifying' process.

Persons often mistake, and take the

first


LETTERS OF MADAM GUYON.

154

When God

purification for the last.

reigns

alone in the soul, separate from the action of

and

self,

self is destroyed, it is

any previous

When

state.

the soul has ceased from

operations,

selfish

exterminated,

its

be without him. believing

with so faults

it

to

soul

is

compreit

would

thus afflicted,

and seems to have

care,

had not before perceived.

it

with the spouse in the Canticles,

have washed

them?"

sin is

become more ap-

wishes

The

own

has lost the virtues, acquired

much

that

It says,

"I

it

defects

by itself, and what

it is

its

and the man of

God

parent, because

hend what

beyond

my

You do

feet,

how

not perceive, O, soul

you do not

beloved, that

shall I sully

sully

them

in

going to " open to the spouse," and that if

you contract some

will

remove

become more it is

it

slight impurity,

so perfectly, that

beautiful.

In the

you

mean

he

will

time,

not the desire of the spouse to become

beautiful in her

own

eyes, but to see only


VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY.

When

the beauty of her Lover. is

and

faithful in this state,

to die to

itself,

she

the beauty of her

beauty

shall

be

is

pleased only with

Beloved, and says his

my

But

beauty.

necessary to advance beyond

much

the soul

really desires

it

is

this, for, after

being despoiled of her beauty, a selfishness

155

greater to

it

would be

appropriate

to herself, the beauty of her Beloved.

His

beauty must remain untarnished, unappropriated

by her; she must leave him

and remain

in her nothing, for the nothing

her proper place.

This

which regards God

alone.

is

all,

is

Perfect Love,



COREESPOiNDENCE BETWEEN

MADAME GUYON AND FMELON. ABRIDGED.



MADAME GUYON TO

159

FIINELON.

I.

m

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. Agreeably der

me any

to

your kind

oflFer, sir,

to ren-

assistance in your power, I take

the liberty to send you some writings, which I earnestly desire

any regard

you

to criticise, without

myself personally

to

:

spare

nothing which seems to be more of self than of God.

I desire only his glory.

wish, also, to

ask your advice regarding

the records of my out,

during the

life,

which I have written

last six years,

by

particular

request of friends.

Shall

journal, or preserve

and continue

have not found record

But

my

I

diflScult,

my

same

destroy this it ?

I

heretofore, to

and the mercies of God.

to continue this journal

diflScult

of

follies,

it

I

would be more

on account of the greater simplicity

inward

for

state,

which

is

one and the

more than eight years. 14*


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

160 I

ought to apologize,

sir,

for

sending you

the manuscripts so badly written, and other-

wise so imperfect; not having re-read them.

God gives me great confidence in am more and more persuaded you person designated

in

my dream,

you.

I

are the

eight years

since."^

It is

pleted

more than four years since

my Commentary

tures.

I com-

on the Holy Scrip-

These explanations of Scripture

have proceeded from a simple reading of the text.

I

have not had recourse to the

writings of learned men.

And

ments would be more perfect followed too

much my own

these com-

if I

had not

inclination, in

* This dream is related by Madame Guyon in her " Autobiography," vol. ii., chap 17, and is as follows " I saw, in my dream, a great number of beautiful birds, which all the persons around me were eager to catch. Among them was one of extraordinary beauty, which all were bent upon pursuing. I made no effort myself, but all the birds came and offered themselves to me. They would fly away, and then return again. And, very much to my surprise, this beautiful bird came to me and did not fly away. He gave himself to me. beautiful above ail others, although But this beautiful bird, he has not yet come to me, is not unknown. And I am certain, that, either before or after my death, he will give himself wholly to God.'' :


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. continuing to write without the divine

which

writings

I

pray

may be

in-

my God those who read my

flux, not clearly discerning, at the time,

error,

161

able to discern.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

162

II.

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

The manuscripts you have sent me, madame, have afforded

me

great pleasure.

I

have found nothing in them which has not edified

me very much. Be

sincerely,

assured, I speak

and not in a complimentary way.

Regarding the history of your hesitate to say that it.

son.

God

And

I

do not

you should not destroy

draw from

will

life,

it

fruit in its

sea-

the same simplicity which has

enabled you, in compliance with the request of friends, to

make these

records, should

lead you, also, to preserve and continue

them from time

to time, as

you are able

give expression to your inward states.

to I

am well aware, without experimental knowledge of the

fact, that, the

nearer one ap-

proaches to God, the more simple and uni-

form

is his state,

and the more

difficult it


FENELON TO MADAME

becomes

to give expression to this

God

It is

163

GUYOxNT.

alone that

fills

state.

and occupies the

mind. I think

you should write

and yet cautiously, uals, all,

in reference to individ-

and as concisely as possible but, above

in

;

the liberty of the Spirit of God.

Your views and

explanations of Scripture

have been written, the

in simplicity

movement

madame, service.

I

am

I believe,

according to

of the Spirit of God.

In him,

very much devoted to your


LETTEES OF MADAME GUYON.

164

III.

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

For

several days past,

prayer for you,

in a state of continual

state

have been

sir, I

which may be compared,

—a

in its ardor

and strength, to a flame which cannot be extinguished.

This was the state of prayer

of Jesus Christ.

And

spirits before the

throne are compared to

it is

thus the seven

seven lamps which burn day and night.

Bear with

me when

I

say, there yet

re-

mains in your heart some opposition to the free operation of God's Spirit this

;

prayer of the Spirit within

not be so intense.

I

otherwise

me would

have often realized a

similar state for others, but never for

one a prayer so intense and

lasting.

treat you, let the designs of

God be

accomplished in your heart and lieve

God

destines

you

to

life.

any

I en-

fully

I be-

become a burning


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

165

and shining light to his church; and that he wishes

you should receive

that

nor regarding

God

in

it

;

and

with great sim-

it

by

plicity, neither rejecting it ity,

you

I should say this to

false humil-

any human

light.

my mind

of his

leaves no doubt in

holy will regarding you.

And he

will

use his

accomplish his work.

he

is

^uniting

me

own instruments It is for this

purpose

most pure

to you, in the

and intimate manner; and

this,

notwith-

standing the difference in our external

cumstances, and difference in Oh,

spects.

how

worthy of God, soul

!

is

beth,

other re-

all

communion of

Our blessed Lord, by his It

sanctified in the

by the

cir-

pure, simple, divine, and

establishes this union.

John was

to

visit of

Mary.

was

soul with

incarnation, in this

womb

way

of Eliza-

It is a partici-

pation of the heavenly hierarchy,

where the

blessed spirits flow together in harmony.

Oh

that Christians

in Christ Jesus

!

knew

their high calling


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

166

me

Let

way

tell

of faith

you the beginnings of the

diflFer

or from that state eternal

And

Wisdom,

am

I

much from the end, when Jesus Christ, the

very

is

revealed in the soul.

certain, that, after

having a deep

experience of the evils of your natural state,

God

you

in

you apart

for

will manifest himself to

a remarkable manner, and set his glory.

I jBnd myself so

that

it

letter.

is

ill

of a violent fever,

with difficulty I reply to your


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON,

167

IV.

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

Nothing

me

moves

madame, than your

And

yet

I

you are

in

the hands

come and see you?

It

all

my

you

:

Your

the Lord.

main

of

state

sensibly, ill

life

of God.

I

am

Shall I

Neglect no means I ask last

it

in the

name

letter will

embedded

in

my

seems to me that our union

increasing.

health.

cannot be troubled, because

that can help

of

more

in

re-

heart.

God

is

united to you, not only

on the days of our special religious vices, but on all other days.

I

am

ser-

read-

ing with great pleasure, and slowly, your explanations of Paul's Epistles. special interest in

what

I

have a

relates to the

in-

terior life.

I find

myself often undecided in refer-

ence to small matters,

— whether

to do.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

168

or not to do

and have no decided choice.

;

There are reasons on both

must

I

The experience

do ?

at times, in following in

which

much

my

What

sides.

have had,

I

movements,

first

have subsequently perceived

I

to proceed in this

made me hesitate way. And then, on the

other hand,

begin to hesitate

of selfishness, has

if I

my

reason,

God

uncertainty increases.

Each day

humbles me.

many

I find

slight to mention,

things, too

and

little

which con-

moment

tribute, at the

to cause

me

by these

little

clearly

my

depths of voluntarily,

While

of their occurrence,

to die little

by

matters that I discover so

natural

self.

But

aversions, I

am

and

the

not hindered,

by any of these external

I continue to realize

many

things. distrac-

tions, I realize also, increasingly, a

interior peace,

It is

little.

sweet

and more and more of the

presence of God. If the oflSce of bishop

me, and I refuse

it,

is

conferred upon

believing I can be


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

more useful

to

am than diocese, am I

remain where

perform the duties of a

169

I

liberty to follow these convictions ?

to at

Pray-

over this matter, and please answer me, according to the light

God

gives you.

Shall I read your letters to Mr. C. ? I

am

reading slowly your commentary

on the Pentateuch. 15


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

170

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

You

are so truly the Lord^s,

exercises over you

sir,

and he

such watchful care,

that I assure you without any hesitation, that,

when

cide

upon any matter, God

at the

it

is

necessary for you to de-

moment when

it

will

give you,

becomes necessary

to decide, a strong inclination either to re-

fuse or accept

am

it,

according as

certain, that, in the

is

his will.

I

present state of

your heart, you are not hindered from

fol-

lowing God's will by any voluntary movement. is

Involuntary distractions,

when one

not hindered by them, by making too

much account

of them, purify the soul

and the knowledge of them

will

the soul for another state, which

with

you, afar

oflf,

—a

without any distractions

state ;

of

prepare is

yet,

purity,

a state where

all


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. the powers

unity

;

in

of the

which

make only one

reduced to

are

soul

171

mind and heart

state the

act.

Your prayer

easy, because God,

is less

wishing to become your principle, takes

away your own thoughts, stitute

what

God

will.

is

more

in order to sub-

accordance with his

in

way

leading you, not by the

is

of great crosses and violent conflicts,. but

by the way of come too

You

littleness.

too childlike

little,

God has chosen a

cannot be-

and there-

;

child to be

your

companion, to teach you the route of

little

fore

children.

When you

littleness,

God

image

:

you

renew within you

will

will

reach this state of

live

no more.

his

Jesus

Christ will live in you.

To accomplish Holy fire

Spirit.

He

will

before his face

his Spirit before

work of the

this is the

;

his

send the devouring that

is,

he

will

send

word, in order that

the Spirit burn and destroy

all

that

and then Jesus Christ the Word

is evil

will

:

be


172

LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

formed

in

you

;

you

be changed into

will

his image, from glory to glory. is

''

Our God

a consuming fire/' I cannot

Christ,

now speak

which

will

of this

be of

know

It is to this blessed life,

which

only by the

you

death of

self,

in

things.

all is

life

extent.

infinite

will

SuflSce to say,

new

reached

that I invite

you.

Do

not read at present the whole of the

Pentateuch, but only that

which relates

of

it

to the passage of the Israel-

ites across the

Land.

portion

Red Sea

into the

Promised


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

173

VT.

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. I

FIND

nothing

;

myself willing that

is,

yet

to

I find

me,

My

all

a garrison besieged, the walls

lation

my

I

am

broken

all

from

my

friends

:

it

is

apparent in

countenance, and in the tones of

And

tions.

It is only

yet

I

my

weakness that makes have a

I

nation to the place of prayer

my

that

my

have no great tempta-

the temptations strong.

there,

as

I cannot conceal this state of deso-

voice.

find

incli-

sides, like the

leaves of the tree in springtime.

down.

And

natural aversions and

nations pushing out, on

wills,

will, as it

fixed in this state.

is

my

God

I will all that

•and will nothing of myself.

seems

and willing

all,

;

temptations are great

disincli-

and, :

I

when

do not

inward recollection and enjoy-

ment of God

I anticipated

15*

;

and,

it

seems to

^


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

174

me, I accomplish nothing.

my

of

In the depths

being, I find a repose in

God

but,

;

in the business of the day, there is less

recollection or perception of God.

sometimes tempted to hasten matters outstrip myself, and get

beyond

am

I ;

to

this state

:

but I content myself to leave to each mo-

ment

its

all

barren, and

distractions. I

am

my

The

heart.

my

count of

seems

it

is

so in

me, some-

to

was no place

times, as if there

soul

much occupied

so

external duties, that

My

for

God

in

distress I realize on ac-

low

state

;

and

my

desire to

be wholly the Lord's alone sustains me. I

am

satisfied,

from present experience,

that the enjoyment of repose, and the oc-

cupation of the soul, in this way,

is

turn of selfishness very dangerous. thus the

soul

is

a re-

And

retarded by the same

means that was

helpful in a previous stage

of progress.

understand that means are

to

I

be used only as a proof of our

fidelity

and subjection to God, and not as real sup-


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. ports to the soul.

a state after

of which

Relish of retirement

God becomes

having made use of

draw

us

this

is

jealous,

means

to

Unhappy he

from ourselves.

who amuses

175

himself with the

gifts

of

grace, as the natural

man with

the endow-

ments of Nature.

Wisdom,

too

becomes a

snare.

I

cannot find

either peace or despoilment

clog to

my

steps

human,

:

it is

in

it

a heavy


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

176

VIL MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

The

point of consideration most impor-

tant for you,

sir, is

in the will of

God.

himself; and

all

God

you must

so.

will

desires to lead you

he requires of you

permit him to do this,

own

the loss of your

And,

in

is

to

order to

suffer yourself to die daily,

and moment by moment, by means of the passing events of

life

:

suffering

all

your

repugnances to be consumed in you, by not regarding them,

The way will, is *

of pure

let

them

faith, in

suffer

and

die.

the loss of the

so barren to Nature, that the soul

sees nothing, and holds to nothing seemingly.

But

moved, the soul another.

when one prop

often,

And

finds

itself

is

re-

clinging to

at this point, letting

go the

hold of some things, the will awakens even to a firmer grasp of

some other things.


MADAME GUTON TO FENELON.

177

Aside from the usual way in which God leads souls, there

propriate to

each one. persons

a specific leading, ap-

the state

And

I

so near

cisely in the sities,

is

have never known two alike as to be led pre-

same way.

giving to each

character,

and

and character of

And

these diver-

one an individual

leading adapted to

that

character, redound to the glory of God.

What might

cause the death of another

might not answer

for you, on

account of

the greater depth of your interior. sufi'ering of

The

advancing souls arises from

resistance to God^s will, although this will

may

not always be understood at the time.

This resistance, however innocent, causes a disturbed state of the soul.

We

must not judge of the propriety of

God's dealings with us by our disrelish of these dealings. lost his

own

will is so well

relish or

He who

has

balanced as to

be easily moved by God, when the right

moment comes

for a decision.

The

per-


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

178'

feet will of

God, by whieh the soul

troduced to

its first principle,

consummation of unity very certain

in

is in-

and to the

God, although

in itself, leaves the soul, in its

incipient state of progress, to a thousand

Certainty would be a prop,

uncertainties.

and hinder the

You may

not be able, at present, to un-

derstand what will.

Nor

a state

is

so

loss of the will.

is it

meant by the

easy to give expression to

exalted,

union with God.

loss of the

^^

and implying

The Torrents " ^

adapted to persons in

all

is

such well

stages of prog-

ress.

The more

resolute and fixed your will

becomes, the greater your sensibility to natural

aversions and faults, because

the increased opposition of the will to that

is evil.

But be encouraged

a tree, which, dying at

:

its stock, is

it is

of all

as

pushing

out only false buds, which serve only to * ' The Torrents," by Madame Guyon, translated from the French by Kev. Mr. Ford.


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. consume

and hasten

its sap,

179

As

death.

its

you reach the state of death, which

is

pre-

ceded by an experience of your misery

and

poverty, great

be

truths will

dis-

covered to you, known only to those who

Then you

are taught of God.

will

know

God alone is truth. Oh that I could express to you what I now perceive of the designs of God, in you

giving

his

of truth,

spirit

which

searches you out, and leaves you in possession of nothing in order to possess you

himself! as

you

Leave

are,

with

yourself, then,

God

self the happiest of

God

;

all

empty,

and consider your-

men, because the most to

make you the

father of a great people,

— a people pecu-

feeble.

liar,

designs

humble, docile, childlike

;

and; on this

account, he will lay deep the foundation

By

of your spiritual edifice.

the loss of

all

things you will obtain infinite riches, infinite

freedom.

You

will

say with Paul (2 Cor.

be constrained to

xii.

10),

"There-


180

LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

fore I take pleasure in infirmities, in re-

proaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake

I

am

weak, then

am

I strong."

;

for

when


FENELON TO MADAME GUI ON.

181

YIII.

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

AM

I

quite certain,

madame, that none

can comprehend the state of pure love,

except those who have experienced

No

it.

one knows the depths of the Spirit of God, but the Spirit

itself.

He, therefore, who

has no experience of this state judges imperfectly, according to his limited view.

on

is

to wait

It

account am silent, and am willing until it pleases God to give me a

this

I

clear knowledge or experience of this state.

understand the state of death which

I St. ''

Paul depicts, expressed by these words,

It is

no more

I that live,

in me," to be a state in cified to the world, that

not

God

;

but Jesus Christ

which one is,

to

all

is

cru-

that

is

a state in which one feels no

condemnation, without, at the same time, possessing any righteousness of his 16

own


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

182

a state in which one glories only in the Lord, and speaks of himself as of another,

and fears not

to say of himself, or of the

God

in him, sublime things, be-

grace of

cause such an one in

reached this

state, the

summated, but

life is

in the soul increases

will

self,

dwelling

When

one has

out of

is

God, and God in him.

death of self This

not.

state,

con-

of

God

from day to day, and

be increasing through

In this

life

is

righteousness

eternity.

all

is

not only im-

puted, but really possessed by the soul,

by the indwelling of the These are state I

view

my

spirit

views on an experience or

have not yet reached.

it,

no one

to the selfish in this

is infallible,

life.

are

state

of God.

The

But, as I

although dead

faults

committed

involuntary, ordinarily,

and not those of actual disobedience to God's known

Yesterday

will.

I

committed a trespass against

a person

who

to me.

This fault humbled, although

is

by nature very disagreeable it

did


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

propose to visit him

not distress me.

I

this morning, to

make

suitable reparation

wrong.

for the

Every day, certain

I see

that

movements

my faults

self is

;

and so

so natural

will not leave

At

me

and

not dead.

must conclude the poison

tion.

183

is

I

am quite I

realize

evil, that I

within, and

without a violent opera-

times, I find

it

necessary to amuse

myself in various ways, as a child plays.

There

is

a

little

child here,

whom Nothing affords me the thought that I am

years old, with

two and a half

I play

so

sometimes.

much

pleasure as

uuited to you in God.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

184

IX.

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. HAVE

I

light of

recently,

in

the

spirit-

— the mutual dependence of one

upon another, and the

how

Oh,

seen clearly, in the

God, the origin and nature of

ual unions, soul

sir,

results of union.

beautiful are our advancing steps

clearer light of

God

!

The

soul,

being created originally in the

image of

God, and being restored

image by

to this

means of the personal incarnation of the Word, receives a part of or attributes.

his divine nature

In receiving a part of this

nature, the soul receives the quality of pro-

ductiveness, or grace.

power of communicating

It is thus in union

with

God

;

and,

being made a partaker of the nature of

God, that soul unites this

itself to soul,

way communicates

grace, as

and in

God com-

municates himself, his essence and nature


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

The

soul being

God and of God, it draws and

penetrates

and power, in

185

to his creatures.

other souls,

by means of the divine opera-

tion through this soul, as an absorbing and reflecting .

Although those

medium.

inter-

vening rays may seem of themselves to

draw

others,

God

it is

It is not

first cause.

alone

who

acts as

easy to separate the

ray from the body of the sun, although is

And

distinct.

those

souls

who

it

are

nearest to God, or in closest union with

bim, possess the most of this power. it is

God

who draws and

alone

in himself to one another

;

Yes

unites souls

the intervening

soul presenting no obstacle, on account of its

purity and transparency, but

rather as a

medium

of grace.

It

is

communication

for the

thus one soul bears the

burden of another

soul.

God has caused me account.

serving

to

It

is

in this

way

on

your

suffer

In advancing to this state of

union, the soul will encounter whirlwinds

of temptation, but the truth of 16*

God

will


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

186 stand.

The

vessel,

although

by

beaten

the winds and waves, will assuredly reach

God

a safe harbor. I

have found

is pilot.

it diflficult

to give expres-

sion to this experience.

May your

supply what

Have

is

lacking.

ness to express to

my

opposed to

me your

light

the good-

views, even

if

own.

Please read fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah,

me your

and give

views of

opened the Bible several times of

understanding of

is

that

increasing,

persons

is

wonderful.

late

to

and God has given me an

this chapter,

The grace

have

I

it.

it

God

adapted to gives

and the

increasing. I

me

my

state.

to aid souls

number of such The

results

are

remain with you, ever the

same, one in God.


FENELON TO MADAME <JUYON.

187

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. Since yesterday, I have desired to write you, madame, although I had resolved not to do so before seeing you, which, I trust,

often think of you, and

will

be soon.

find

myself more and more united

in

God.

and

it

am

I

one with you in the

seems to me we

one in him.

God

that

I

I

am

remain always

shall

as confident as

me through

blesses

you

to

Infinite,

you

you.

are,

My

thoughts of you are always blessed, because I never see you out of God, and see

God through you, without Sometimes

you.

doubts and state

;

all

in

experience some

little

regarding

this

temptations

but they quickly vanish, having no

real foundation.

and

I

resting at

at the

Our union

is

established,

same time increasing.

I

agree

with you, there are no unions so blessed


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

188

as the union of souls in God, although I

can give no very definite expression of this state of union.

I could not speak of

any one

particular thought I have of you, although

you so

I think of

It is a general

often.

view or impression of you, accompanied with great peace and enjoyment in God.

My

confidence in you

is

unbounded, on

ac'

count of your goodness, your simplicity,

your knowledge and experience of the deep things of God, and, count of the designs of

finally,

God

on ac-

in relation to

myself through you. I have read twice the fifty-fourth chap-

ter of Isaiah.

It represents the glory

fruitfulness of the is

at

first

spouse.

as

the barren

Souls

draw other

Church of

whom God

to

of

self,

which

is

a

and forsaken destines

the soul

is

state, stripped of

way

the natural heart.

when

which

to

souls to himself pass at first

through the wilderness all

Christ,

and

full

the

of tribulation

But subsequently,

prepared,

God

enriches


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. her and renders her fruitful in

Thus

it

is

with you.

I

am

189 himself.

not able to

speak of what you are to others, but I

know what you happy

to see

are to me.

you

soon,

and

I shall

to sit

in prayerful recollection before

Be persuaded

*I

Lord.

you

God. in whole-

You know with what recollections I am yours in our

hearted simplicity. grateful

write

be most

with you


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

190

XI.

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

You have

explained,

sir,

in

few words,

the nature of the union of souls in God,

union existing in great simplicity of a union in which

is

is

in

I

find

you

in

of

God,

The greater my union

with God, the greater I realize, at times, a

established

is

it

God.

in you.

state,

no space or nothing

separating, because

God and and God

—a

my

union with you.

more perceptible over-

flowing and drawing of

your soul with

mine into the fulness of God, and yet in the same purity and simplicity. I

am

not

surprised that doubts some-

times arise in state.

your mind concerning

It is so with myself;

ish in the

but they van-

thought that God takes pleasure

to glorify himself in his children,

weakest.

this

And, besides

this, I

even the

have a

cer-


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

191

tain indifference to all that relates to I desire, first of

personally.

all,

the glory

of God, whatever becomes of me.

yesterday,

was questioning

I

of myself induced this state the Lord,

was

if it

erating through

;

if I

Only

had not

and I asked

his Spirit that

me on

me

was op-

other souls, that a

person who was then present might experience the results of this operation.

immediately this person,

my

ignorant of sible

who was

And

entirely

prayer, experienced a sen-

communication of grace, and spoke to

me of the great peace and enjoyment God which had just been imparted her soul.

mind

God

It has

been impressed on

of to

my

for several days past, that the love of for his creatures

like a torrent,

to receive

it

goes out of himself

and blesses

all

hearts open

and that the love which the

;

holy soul experiences and diffuses

is

only

a portion of this same love.

Yesterday

was

I

had a strong impression (I

sick in bed) that I

was

called to bear


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

192

the cross of Christ to a

still

greater degree

was

than ever before.

All I could do

say, " Let thy will,

God be accomplished

in

And

me."

anew, to bear

my

in

!

thus surrendering myself

all

sufferings in union with

Lord, and for the good of his church,

these words were given

pouse thee to .me forever

me ;

^^ :

I will

in loving kindness,

in mercies "

and

es-

yea, I will be-

troth thee unto me, in righteousness,

ii.

to

and

(Hosea

19, 20).

Notwithstanding

my

presentiment that

I should not die very soon, I was so

yesterday, I thought

my

end was near.

the evening, I had a strong that I should recover viction, I

God's

;

conviction

and, with this con-

and such

enlargement of

heart, as greatly to increase

But

my

I can speak to

physical

no persons

here of these peculiar exercises.

I

know

not best to see you too frequently,

it is

and

In

experienced such a fulness of

Spirit,

strength.

ill

I

know our Lord can supply

the lack


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. of personal

interviews

;

and even

193

now,

am writing, I find my soul so united you as to make me realize that no dis-

while I to

tance or space in the natural world can terrupt the intercourse of souls

in-

made one

God.

in

I

am, in him,

be. 17

all

to

you he makes me

to


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

194

XII.

MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. Last

night,

for the first time

sir,

since

our acquaintance, I had a very singular

You

dream of you.

plicity in relating will yet

become

am

it

;

and

is

it

my

but no matter

much

as

only

;

will smile at

little

:

sim-

you

of a child as I

children that can

enter into the kingdom of heaven. I saw- in

You were and about

my dream

on the summit of the mountain, to descend.

persons present,

to descend.

together, and

There were a few

who had with

culty ascended the

were

a very deep valley.

great

mountain, which

You and

I

diflS-

we

were seated

were gliding along down the

summit, without any movement of our own. This descent of the valley, or declivity, was

marked with deep furrows, or regular intervals, which

made

it

ridges, at

easier to


MADAME GUYON TO FBNELON.

195

ascend the mountain, but seemed to present an obstacle to our descending in the

manner

which we were seated, making

in

no movement ourselves. rent difficulty bility

But

this

appa-

was obviated by the

flexi-

of the mountain, which seemed to

abase itself in these ridges, as the waves of

sea; so that

tjie

we descended

easily,

along by the movement of

carried

the

mountain.

One of tne persons who had ascended the mountain

—a

and, while she

woman

— stopped

you,

was conversing with you,

hindered you from descending, and hindered, also, the I

movement of the mountain.

was arrested with you, and understood,

that, as I

count,

suffered I

much.

I

When

this

woman

was more strongly bound

than ever tual.

ac-

While you were being arrested, I

were.

drew,

was descending only on your

should be retarded as long as you

I

;

with-

to

you

and our inclination was mu-

said to

you, "

my

child

1

how


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

196

much

I

have

suflfered,

while you have been

woman You replied, I, too, have suflFered much for I was removed from my right position, and where my inclination led me but I am taught a lesson to let nothing hinder me J^ After this, we descended very rapidly, and with great hindered by this

!

''

^'

;

;

:

and repose of soul

delight,

We

in soul.

found ourselves, unawares, in a room at the

base of

also a

the mountain,

few persons of great innocence and

purity, like ourselves. liberty

you from

^

where were

I said to you,

which you have given me

My me

child

^

^^

The

to call

pleases me, and removes

the restraint that I have hitherto

experienced." Here

very clear to me. trate its depths.

is

my

dream. It seems

I will leave

you

to pene-


FENELON TO MADAME GUION,

197

XIII.

FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. I

READ with pleasure, madame,

that

all

comes from your pen, and pray that you

may you

follow freely the inclination to write

very much

me

;

God

and, be assured, I shall be

am

I

edified.

by a cordial reception of

so in advance, I

all.

am

you should make reserves of what

yond

my

depth

;

gives

but

I

willing is

be-

pray you to make no

reserves as to what I need, and, especially, to

reduce

God

me

to the simplicity of a

has given you an

your dream.

to

by

my

the

understanding of

Please enlighten me.

I per-

human wisdom,

personi-

ceive readily that fied

woman,

progress.

is

a great hinderance

Does

this relate

past, or to the present time

in the state in

me?

child.

?

Am

to the I

which you are arrested by

What do you understand by 17*

now the


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

198

room

mouDtain?

at the base of the

express to

me

Please

unreservedly your thoughts

on the dream. If

you know any point

which

in

I

fail,

any one thing which hinders the free operation of God's Spirit, I entreat plainly,

without any reserve

you to ;

tell

for I desire

only the accomplishment of God's will else

is

nothing to me.

my wisdom must

die

;

know

I

but

I

all

I

orders, without

any

more can

do

I

me by your

accept

all

ing

all

it

can do

that

self-reserves.

prayers ?

may

well that is

God What

Will you do the rest for

?

I

am

willing to pro-

gress as fast or as slowly as

whatever

all

:

God must

to hold myself in the crucible. strike the blow.

me

cost me.

the suiferings I

cient unto the day

is

God

pleases,

I count as noth-

may

endure.

'^

SuflS-

the evil thereof."

He

who permits

the evil will bring good out

of the

Besides, I would not think of

evil.

good relative

to myself; for I desire to lose

sight of myself, in order that God's will


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

may be

fully accomplished.

have you

feeble both in for

my

in

God.

tion,

My

on

suffer

my

would not

account.

mind and body, and

external duties. I

I

199

But

my

I

am

unfitted

soul rests

take time for rest and recrea-

and amuse myself as well as seasons of prayer are

I can.

irregular,

and

partake rather of silent meditation than of petition.

My

prayer

riding or walking. position,

my

judge from

how

is

most natural when

When

I

take a fixed

thoughts wander.

this expression of

humiliating

is

my

You

my

can

feelings

experience.

You

know, as well as myself, what God permits

me

to be to you.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

200

XIV. MADAME GUYON TO FENELON. Nothing

your progress,

arrests

The view

the present time.

my dream

in

at the base of the mountain, these

words express must

my

views

He who

:

The base

first descend.

ascend.

of the

I

have no other

wisdom.

And

this,

God

will help

subject to divine wisdom.

to

You do

human you

to

well to

nothing in the past and present hinder

you

;

but also you must reject nothing in

the future. I

moun-

light regarding

the woman, only as representing

let

ascends

was the point from which you were

tain

at

In regard to the

relates to the future.

room

sir,

Leave

to

God

things to come.

perceive very clearly that you are

drawn more and more plicity I

reach.

to that state of sim-

have so much desired you might It will cost

you much,

I

know, to


MADAME GUYON TO FENELON.

own

die to your

201

natural wisdom; and

you

be turning back upon yourself.

will often

But do not understand me

as saying that

you should not

act of yourself,

become passive

but, rather, that you should

act at

;

and thus

times in simplicity, not waiting

all

for a special

movement, but leaving your

heart always open to God, as a room

open

to

go

your eye

and out as one pleases.

ever towards

is

direction, in

in

you must walk

God

and teach you

you

will

all

at the right

for light

on,

having

is

things.

acts

He

will give to

utter.

moment needed,

not the product of reasoning. as a little child,

You who

not by reasoning, but in a childlike

way and

in

good

faith.

Faith embraces what ble.

faith

for a special

moment words

must become simple

and

always be with you,

Inspiration comes in the

and

While

God

your guide, and not waiting

movement.

is left

God

is

next to impossi-

many difAfter having taken away all

exercises our faith in

ferent ways.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

202

our sensible supports, and making us ize

how good

is

the

real-

way of self-despoilment,

he exercises again our faith by renewing these sensible experiences.

And when

he

awakens again these perceptible emotions, he purifies them, and by these exercises enlarges the capacity of the soul

the same time, the soul remains, in interior, in perfect peace. is

and, at

;

its

deep

Thus the

soul

rendered active and multiplied in

its

ex-

ercises,

without becoming less simple and

pure.

It is

qualities of

now partaking more of the God, who is himself one, and

varied in his operations.

may

This experience

not be understood by you at the pres-

ent time

;

but

it is

important, because

sometimes the case,

that, for

want of

it is

light,

the soul does not readily acquiesce in this divine leading.

how

Oh,

how great

is

God, and

manifold are his operations on the

soul of

man


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

203

XV. FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. In relating to you, raadame, what M. D.

M. has

told

warn you

me,

I

have had

who speak with you And also great confidence.

apparently in

my

I desire to let

recent sufferings on account

Crowds of

of certain scandalous reports. reflections

have rushed

and caused

me

iating side.

And

me on

I could

thoughts, and

them, than I could

asmuch

upon

mind,

the most humil-

no more dissipate

the grief attending

fly in

the

air.

But,

in-

as I held myself firmly to God, to

sufier all his will, I believe I sin.

And

this

scourging to crucify

vanity,

my

almost insupportable grief.

All has appeared to

these

view to

to use great discretion with per-

sons

you know

in

my

I believe

ambition,

God

will

committed no

make use of

my

pride,

my false wisdom.

my

My


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

204 soul

is

lieve

now again at it ?

rest

and

;

have never been so closely

I

united to you as

now

and

;

been increasing during

My

union has

this this

all

suffering.

sufferings on account of this scandal

have led me resignation,

moved by

to think of

your state of quiet

and enjoyment of God, un-

external things, however

How

ing to the natural man.

been ray fears

which

my

ture cries aloud at the

good to see

great have

natural

prudence

eyes of the world

in the

all

afflict-

be drawn into a path

lest I

demolishes

and wisdom

is

— can you be-

first

even of a servant, as was

Na-

But

alarms.

her weakness,

!

it

afraid

St.

Peter,

my

ill

who

had been so courageous.

Whether

owing

is

it

health, occupations, or

but very

prayer

what

is still

realize

the

in

time for prayer;

usual

more strange,

any regret at

consequences.

I

state of

negligence, I find

facility or

little

i.e.,

to

I

its loss,

form.

And,

do not seem to nor fear of the

was never more exposed


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. to temptations thaa here (at court)

would seem, therefore, that more.

I

count of

my

of

my

faults

more

it

should pray-

I

and bold

self,

invariably, at

in

lection, united to

and yet,

;

in the depths

have never been more

free,

like

my

and

;

experience cutting regrets on ac-

interior, I

tranquil,

205

and never more

my all

conduct.

child-

I find

my-

times of inward recol-

God

depths of

in the

soul.

I shall rejoice to see

pointed.

I

expressing at large

brance of

you on the day

ap-

deny myself the pleasure of

all

my

remem-

grateful

The

your favors.

bonds

which unite us do not require complimentary words, although, in truth, I

owe you

very many, not complimentary, but very sincere.

When

I

remember you,

plunge myself deeper

God, where

I 18

in

the

it

is

only to

unknown of

wish to lose myself forever.


LETTERS OP MADAME GDYON.

206

XVI. MADAME GUYON TO PENELON. I PERCEIVE, liad

sir,

by your

not then received

last, that

my letter

matters more fully than peat at the present time.

you

explaining

necessary to

re-

It is true that

my

is

soul is too deeply centred in

God

to

make

much account

of what takes place in the

outside world

and

;

evil reports are too

com-

mon to alarm me. I knew you would suffer much and I knew, also, that all would ;

be overruled

your good.

for

I

believe

you have not only been preserved from sin in this

your

faith

trial,

and abandonment strengthened.

Rest assured,

am, God

will

astray, or

but your soul purified,

that,

weak and unworthy as

never permit

me

to lead

do you the least injury.

known from

the

I

you have

commencement of our

quaintance, that, as

it

I

ac-

was the design of


MADAME G[JYON TO FENELON.

God

to aid

you by means of one so

ly unsuitable

suflfered

follow the

to

When

much.

dictate,

And

suffer.

I

me,

I fear I displease

would

and thus neglect

God

a time to follow the inspirations

much

him.

I

close

between himself and the soul crated to him ble to

!

It

seems

act of myself,

to

originate a find

movement

is

May

the union

fully conse-

me

impossi-

from the

separate

divine will manifested in me.

gives

cannot in

I

the least degree go contrary to his will.

how

for

have suffered

to-day on this account.

our Lord teach you

too

I

human prudence

rules which

and wisdom

entire-

the eyes of the world,

in

you would have have

207

If I try to

or plan of acting, I

myself helpless as an

infant,

and with-

What I do must have a corresponding movement or life-power from within. One must pass through many

out strength.

deaths in order to reach this state, and do the will of God, as the angels in heaven

from an intuitive perception of his

will.


LETTERS OF MADAME GUYON.

208

something to become passive, and

It is

cease from self-interested movements it is

more

but

;

become passively active

to

doing the will of God.

This

is

in

an experi-

ence that few, comparatively, reach, because they have not courage enough to die to the extent that

reach

this

this state

state.

One who has reached

possesses an indomitable cour-

age and firmness at

necessary, in order to

is

whatever

cost.

to

execute

And,

all

also,

God's will

such an one

experiences a corresponding infantile weakness or inability to do what

God's

will.

You,

strength from will

sir,

will

is

contrary to

always receive

God when you need

never leave you

for a

it.

moment.

God

He

loves you beyond expression, as he testifies in

my

heart.


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON.

209

XVII. FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. I

HAVE

just returned from the country,

madame, where

I

have remained

and found myself much

some

little

five days,

at ease, excepting

anxieties on your account.

I

have relished to some degree the things around me, and, at the same time, have ex-

much

perienced

owing I

to

my

lassitude

state of

have realized

indifi'erence,

health.

ill

in all a

and a quiet submission

and

And

yet

union with God, Noth-

to his will.

ing at the present time embarrasses

rae,

neither the diflSculties I encounter, neither

my

faults,

These

nor what others think of me.

faults are humiliating

my

enough

is

ment of

heart, they appear trivial,

suflferings

and

occasioned by them.

things pass with 18*

but,

peace in God and enlarge-

so great

the

;

me

also

All

so naturally, and with


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

210 SO

little

tempted

And what

sion

is

proceeds

to believe that this state

from indifference and a life.

am sometimes

solicitude, that I

of

loss

spiritual

strengthens this impres-

having no burden of prayer, noth-

ing to desire.

And

proached God

in

yet I have never ap-

a manner so

childlike,

so deep, so continual, so one with himself.

Many things around me might prove a temptation and a snare but God tempers them ;

in such a

manner

that

my heart neither rests

nor desires to rest in any thing but God.

Like Noah's dqve, I

a

it

returns to the ark.

had written you a long

little

whirlwind of

among my

affairs, it is

your griefs and

tions, in the

just

depths of

what you say

ceived.

I

am

you, and leading is,

but, in

;

scattered

papers, and I have searched a

long time without finding in all

letter

in

in all

your consola-

my

I

heart.

your

confident

me by

to follow always

I participate

it.

need

letter just re-

God you.

where God

is

leading

My

desire

leads,

how-


FENELON TO MADAME GUYON. ever blind the

vided

I

way

know he

is

;

and

will

leading me.

an open question with me.

accustomed to find

it

reason

not easy at

all

I

do

am to

pro-

so,

This

my way times

211

so

is still

much

along, I

submit

way God is leading me. searching me out and I am in

readily to the

But God

is

;

the right path, following your instructions,

which

come from the Lord.

I believe

him, madame, I

am

In

yours increasingly and

without reserve. I anticipate the

soon.

God

all,

pleasure of seeing you

ourselves nothing.


LETTERS OP MADAME GUYON.

212

XVIIL MADAME GUYON TO

The

What

ago. ple,

chapter of the book I

thirteenth

you expresses

sent

I

MR. POIRET."^

my

some years

state

now experience

is

more sim-

more naked, more nothing, and more

God; a

and so reduced

state so exalted,

me nothing Love seems now an ex-

regarding myself, as to leave to say of myself.

istence in

and

me independent

my

tween

will

those

were

know

distinct acts its

former

life.

* This

is

much

itself

God all

am

God.

not

is,

The

any more in

exercises

the last of the series of is

I

distinction be-

will of

and

the soul possesses

lished letters, and It is

make any

and the

soul seems not to

:

my volitions,

distinct acts of the soul.

able ordinarily to

all

of

which

and God

is

things in him

Madame Guyon's pub-

addressed to the celebrated Mr. Poiret.

abridged in the translation.


MADAME GUYON TO MR.

them by any

purely, and not possessing right of self-appropriation.

nor reason about

flect is

no

alone

I

state. is

my

my

213

POIRET.

I

state,

cannot re-

because

it

remain nothing, and God

life.

If I should indulge in

scruples or fears or care or self-returns in

any way,

I

have so

little

from God's as one choice.

God

who

should go out of

state.

I

interest for myself, aside

will, that I

seem

in this respect

has no perception, emotions, or

I remain nothing.

is all

my

in

all.

God

is,

and


214

LETTERS TO MADAME GUY ON.

HER POETRY.

SELECTIONS FEOM

A LITTLE BIRD

AM.

I

A

LITTLE bird I am, Shut from the fields of air And in my cage I sit and sing

To Him who

placed

me

Well pleased a prisoner Because,

my God,

Nought have

it

there

to be,

pleases thee.

I else to do.

I sing the whole day long

And He whom Doth

He

most I love

my

listen to

caught and bound

But

still

Thou

to please

song.

my

he bends to hear

wandering wing

me

sing.

hast an ear to hear,

A heart to love and bless And, though

my

:

notes were e'er so rude,

Thou wouldst not hear

the less

Because thou knowest, as they

That

My

love, sweet love, inspires

cage confines

Abroad

I

But, though

them

fly

wing

is

closely bound,

My heart's at liberty. My prison-walls cannot control The

flight,

all.

me round

cannot

my

;

fall,

the freedom, of the soul.


SELECTIONS FROM HER POETRY. 215 Oh

it is

!

These

good to soar and bars above, whose purpose I adore, bolts

To Him Whose Providence I love And in thy mighty will to find The joy,

the freedom, of the mind.

GOD EVERYWHERE TO THE SOUL THAT LOVES HIM. Thou by long experience tried, Near whom no grief can long abide, how full of sweet content My Lord

!

1 pass my years

of banishment!

All scenes alike engaging prove

To

souls impressed with sacred love

Where'er they dwell, they dwell in In heaven, in earth, or on the

To me

thee,

sea.

remains nor place nor time

My country is in every clime. I can be

calm and

On any

shore, since

While place we

The

free

from care

God

is

there.

seek, or place

we shun,

soul finds happiness in none

But, with a

God

to guide

'Tis equal joy to

go or

our way,

stay.

Could I be cast where thou art not, That were indeed a dreadful lot But regions none remote I call, Secure of finding

God

in

all.


LETTERS TO MADAME GUYON.

216

My

country, Lord, art thou alone

No

other can I claim or own.

The

point where

all

My law, my love,

I love

For

my I

I

am

wishes meet,

only sweet.

God, but with no love of mine.

have none to give.

I love thee, Lord

For

my

life's

by thy

life

as nothing

Emptied, and

Thou, Lord,

;

I ;

lost,

but

all

the love

is

and rejoice to be and swallowed up in

alone, art all thy children

In thee the bless'd abide,

Fountain of

thine.

live.

And there is none beside. From thee the streams of blessedness

Our

:

life

thee.

need

proceed

and all-abounding grace, and our dwelling-place.

source, our centre,



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Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.