Letters of Madam Guyon Part 2

These vicissitudes form and mature the interior, as the different seasons compose the year. Each change in your inward experience, or external condition, is a new test, by which to try your faith and love; and will be a help towards perfecting your soul, if you receive it with love and submission.

Leave yourself therefore in the hands of Love. Love is always the same, although it causes you often to change your position. He who prefers one state to another, who loves abundance more than scarcity, when G.o.d orders otherwise, loves the gifts of G.o.d more than G.o.d himself.

G.o.d loves you; let this thought equalise all states. 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 is, leaves us to our own barrenness, all is well.

For myself, I am pleased with all the Lord orders for me. I hold myself ready to suffer, not only imprisonment but death; perils everywhere--perils on the land--perils on the sea--among false brethren; all is good in Him, to whom I am united forever.

PATIENCE WITH THE FAULTS OF OTHERS.

I love you very much, my dear M. If my love could be of any avail, it would console you, for I feel a greater tenderness and sympathy for you, than I am able to express. I am more certain than ever, that G.o.d designs you for himself. Live exteriorly with N., as being entirely reconciled. Make not too much account of his coldness, his pa.s.sionate temper, his contempt. It is not by these you are to regulate your conduct, but by a motive more elevated--G.o.d and his glory. Let your heart endure his bitterness, for the love of Him, who preferred grief to pleasure. At the same time, do no violence to your own sacred feelings, to accommodate yourself to him, in order to give him a pleasure he cannot appreciate. Regard your present condition, as a means G.o.d has given you, to manifest your love to himself, by a willingness to sacrifice yourself. Reject not this cross, shall I not rather say _crown_, and let all be accomplished between G.o.d and your soul, in such a quiet manner, that the struggle with your own feelings will not be perceived.

While you are bearing this daily cross--this real crucifixion--I am certain G.o.d will sustain you, from the fulness of his love. All is alike good, when G.o.d is with us. I love you tenderly. G.o.d loves you; let this make amends for all. In Him devotedly yours.

HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE MOVEMENTS OF G.o.d.

You enquire, how one who desires to follow the movements of G.o.d's spirit, may distinguish these movements, from the natural operations of the mind. There is not, at all times, a positive certainty regarding divine movements. If it were so, we should become infallible as the angels; that is, if we were as pure in our intentions. We must walk with G.o.d, in entire abandonment and uncertainty, at the risk of sometimes making mistakes, which in the infancy of experience is unavoidable. He who wishes for a particular inspiration, or direction in common matters, which his own reason and judgment can determine, is liable to deception.

A pure soul acts in simplicity, and without certainty, being persuaded that what is good comes from G.o.d, and what is not good from self. The greater the simplicity,--the more separate from the mingling of self-activity--the purer are these operations; because the soul in this state is only a simple instrument, that the Word, which is in her, moves, so that it is the Word which speaks and not herself. This manner of speaking, relates to matters of importance, and not to the minute concerns of every-day life. The divine Word, _in all exigencies_, is found in the soul, that is wholly consecrated to Christ. "When they bring you before magistrates and kings, etc., it shall be given you in _that hour_ what ye shall speak." This method of divine leading--by the hour and by the moment--leaves the soul always free and unenc.u.mbered, and ready for the slightest breath of the Lord.

This breath, in the pure soul, is as the gentle zephyr, and not as the whirlwind, which shakes the earth. Do not then expect to have antic.i.p.ated movements, or movements beforehand from G.o.d. I have an experience of many years, that G.o.d often makes known his will, only in the time of action.

If a pure soul, wholly sacrificed to G.o.d, should undertake something contrary to the will of G.o.d, it would feel a slight repugnance, and desist at once. If one does not feel this repugnance, let the act be performed in simplicity. A mother who 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. The repugnance which a holy soul feels to do a thing, is as when the mother draws the leading-string.

STATE OF SIMPLICITY.

I experienced recently, a marked perception of your state, as one in which G.o.d took delight, and upon which he had infinite designs, regarding himself and his glory. I saw clearly the state to which G.o.d desired to bring you--the means to be used, and the obstacles in the way--the mutual sympathy and confidence he required between us--and the openness and freedom of communication necessary for our mutual benefit, and that we should not hesitate to speak freely of each other's faults.

The peculiarity you remark in my experience, needs some explanation.

You say I do not seem to be wounded, nor blame myself when reproved for a fault. To which I reply simply, there is no more of self remaining in me to be wounded. This indifferent state you notice in me, arises from the state of innocency and infancy in which I find myself. Our Lord holds me so far removed from myself, or from my natural state, that it is impossible for me to take a painful view of myself. When a fault is committed by me, it leaves no traces on the soul; it is as something external, which is easily removed. Do not infer that I am blind to my faults. The light of truth is so subtle and penetrating, that it discovers the slightest fault. Souls which are in the natural life, have real faults, as a paper written over with ink is strongly marked, therefore they see and feel them. But souls, transformed into G.o.d, have faults, as a writing traced on sand when the wind is high, the wind defacing it as soon as it is traced. This is the economy of divine wisdom, relating to souls in union and harmony with G.o.d. Oh!

the greatness and simplicity of the way of Truth! How unlike the world's apprehension of it!

QUENCHING THE SPIRIT.

Desiring to follow closely the divine leading, I expressed to you the other day, some sentiments you were not able to receive. I perceived at once, that on account of your resistance, I could say no more. From this experience, although painful as regards yourself, I learnt the extreme delicacy of the spirit that seeks to aid others; and the strength of man's freedom to oppose this operation. I realized, also, my inability to act of myself; for, as soon as the spirit in me was silent, I had nothing to say. I had, however, the extreme satisfaction of knowing, that this good spirit alone conducted me; and that I would not, in the least degree, add, nor diminish from its operations.

It was from a knowledge, gained by experience, of the extreme delicacy and purity of this divine spirit, that I remarked to you, the other day, that if you did not receive the instructions I then imparted, I should have nothing farther to communicate to you. O, how pure and how unlike the impetuous operation of man's spirit, is this operation of G.o.d!

SUFFER THE CRUCIFIXIONS AND REDUCTIONS OF SELF.

All the graces of the Christian, spring from the death of self. Let us, then, bear patiently the afflictions, which reduce this overflowing life. There is a suffering in connection with confusions and uncertainties, very trying to bear. Unbounded patience is necessary, to bear not only with ourselves, but with others, whose various tempers and dispositions are not congenial with our own. "Offences,"--wounds of spirit will occur while we live in the flesh. These offences must be borne in silence, and thus subjugated and controlled by the spirit of grace. By a law of our nature, we feel, more or less, the influence of the spheres in which we move.

While we honor, we think, the true cross, the affliction that comes from G.o.d, let us remember, that these instruments, so disagreeable, are the true cross that providence daily furnishes us.

Do not sully the cross and mar its operations, by your murmurs and reflections. Let us welcome any trials, that teach us what we are, and lead us to renounce ourselves and find our all in G.o.d.

Jesus Christ says, "He who renounces not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." Of all possessions, that of ourselves is the most dangerous.

Please present my cordial regards to your brother. I sympathize deeply in his misfortunes. I use this expression, in conformity to common usage, but it does not express the sentiments of my heart. I am convinced that the loss of wealth, worldly honor, persecutions, are the best instruments to unite us to Jesus Christ. All evils, or apparent evils, are great blessings when they unite us to our All in All. I pray G.o.d, to sustain him. His sufferings only increase my sympathy and love for him in our Lord. My health is still feeble, but all is well in the depths of my heart. G.o.d is there.

REPROVE IN LOVE.

It is important to use great care and sweetness in reproving others.

Reprove only when alone with the person, and take not your own time, but the moment of G.o.d. As we are not free from faults ourselves, we must not expect too much from others. Be yourself very humble and child-like, and this character will act sympathetically on others.

Jesus Christ was full of sweetness and charity. How patiently did he bear with his imperfect disciples, even with Judas, without anger, without bitterness, and even without coldness.

How lowly was Jesus! He "did not break the bruised reed." He imparts to his little ones no tyrannic power. They use no violence in dealing with souls, but say with John, "Behold the _Lamb of G.o.d_, who taketh away the sins of the world." Our Lord, "rejoiced in spirit," in an unusual manner, such as we find nowhere else in Scripture, when he said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto _babes_." How happy are we in the presence of a little child; how much at ease! It imposes on us no burden of restraint, 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.

I perceive, by your letter, you are in doubt about the grace which pa.s.ses interiorly from heart to heart. We notice an ill.u.s.tration of this in the woman who touched our Lord, when he said: "I perceive that virtue is gone out of me." In a similar manner, without words, one heart may communicate grace to another heart, as G.o.d imparts grace to the soul. But if the soul is not in a state to receive it, the grace of the interior is not communicated, as is expressed in another pa.s.sage; "If they are not children of peace, your peace will return to you again." This ill.u.s.trates, according to my view, pure interior communications of the grace of G.o.d, from heart to heart, which the soul relishes in silence, and which silence is often more efficacious than a mult.i.tude of words.

At our last interviews I had an inclination for silence, but finding in you an aversion to silent communion, I entered into conversation, but without any interior correspondence on my part, and, evidently, without any benefit to you. G.o.d would teach you, my dear child, there is a silence of the soul through which he operates, filling it with the unction of grace, to be diffused on other hearts who are in a state of receptivity, often more efficacious than words to replenish the soul.

We find this still harmonious action in nature. The sun, the moon, and stars, shine in silence. The voice of G.o.d is heard in the silence of the soul. The operation of grace is in silence, as it comes from G.o.d, and may it not reach and pa.s.s from soul to soul without the noise of words? O, that all Christians knew what if means to _keep silence_ before the Lord!

LIMIT NOT YOUR SPHERE.

Let me urge you, my child, to enlarge your heart; or, rather, suffer it to become enlarged by grace. This contraction shuts you up in yourself, and hinders an agreeable openness which we should ever maintain, even towards those who have no particular affinity with ourselves. An open, frank exterior wins confidence. Let it not appear, that you have so much relish for yourself, as not to think of others. What seems to us a virtue is sometimes regarded by G.o.d as a fault; and which we shall so perceive, when we have clearer light.

You seem to mark out for yourself a certain sphere, and if you go beyond it, you think you do yourself an injury. Thus, while you have an apparent movement, you are only describing a circle, whose centre and circ.u.mference is self. I entreat you, pa.s.s beyond the narrow bounds of self;--suffer yourself to be led out of self into the will and way of G.o.d. Thus you will be much more happy and useful. If I loved you less, I should be less severe.

Let G.o.d be the sovereign Master over our hearts, and instruct, and reprove, and operate in us, by himself, or through others, as pleases him.

Adieu. G.o.d bless you, my child.