CHAPTER IX.

Being, as I have said, with the Ursulines at Tonon,
after having spoken to the Bishop of Geneva, and see¬
ing how he changed, just as others turned him, I wrote
to him and to Father La Mothe; but all my efforts
were useless. The more I endeavored to accommodate
matters, the more the ecclesiastic tried to confound
them, hence I ceased to meddle.

One day I was told that the ecclesiastic had won
over the good girl whom I dearly loved. So strong a
desire I had for her perfection that it had cost me
much. I should not have felt the death of a child so
much as her loss; at the same time I was told how to
hinder it, but that human way of acting was repugnant
to my inward sense; and these words arose in my
heart, “ Except the Lord build the house,” &c.

And indeed he provided herein himself, hindering
her from yielding to this deceitful man, after a manner
to be admired, and very thwarting to the designs of
him and his associates. As long as I was with her she
still seemed wavering and fearful; but oh, the infinite
goodness of God, to preserve without our aid what
without his we should inevitably lose ! I was no sooner
separated from her, but she became immovable.

As for me, there scarcely passed a day but they
treated me with new insults; their assaults came on me
at unawares. The New Catholics, by the instigation of
the Bishop of Geneva, the ecclesiastic, and the sisters at

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THE LITE OT MADAME GUYON.

Gex, stirred up all the persons of piety against me. I
had but little uneasiness on my own account. If I
could have had it at all, it would have been on account
of Father La Combe, whom they vilely aspersed, though
he was absent. They even made use of his absence, to
overset all the good he had done in the country, by his
missions and pious labors, which were inconceivably
great At first I was too ready to vindicate him, think¬
ing it justice to do it. I did not do it at all for myself;
and our Lord showed me that I must cease doing it
for him, in order to leave him to be more thoroughly
annihilated; because from thence he would draw a
greater glory, than ever he had done from his own
reputation

Every day they invented some new slander. No
kind of stratagem, or malicious device in their power,
did they omit. They came to surprise and ensnare me
in my words; but God guarded me so well, that therein
they only discovered their own malevolence. I had no
consolation from the creatures. She who had the care
of my daughter behaved roughly to me. Such are the
persons who regulate themselves only by their gifts and
emotions. When they do not see things succeed, and
as they regard them only by their success, and are not
willing to have the affront of their pretensions being
thought uncertain, and liable to mistake, they seek
without for supports. As for me who pretended to
nothing, I thought all succeeded well, inasmuch as all
tended to self-annihilation On another side, the maid
I had brought, and who stayed with me, grew tired
out. Wanting to go back again, she stunned me with
her complaints, thwarting and chiding me from morn¬
ing till night, upbraiding me with what I had left, and

THE LIFE OF MADAME GUYON.

239

coming to a place where I was good for nothing. I
was obliged to bear all her ill-humor and the clamor of
her tofLgue.

My own brother, Father La Mothe, wrote to me
that I was a rebel to my bishop, staying in his diocese
only to give him pain. Indeed, I saw there was noth¬
ing for me to do here, so long as the bishop should be
against me. I did what I could to gain his good will,
but this was impossible on any other terms than the
engagement he demanded, and that I knew to be my
duty not to do. This, joined to the poor education of
my daughter, affected my heart. When any glimmer¬
ing of hope appeared, it soon vanished; and I gained
strength from a sort of despair.

During this time Father La Combe was at Rome,
where he was received with so much honor, and his
doctrine was so highly esteemed, that the Sacred Con¬
gregation was pleased to take his sentiments on some
points of doctrine, which were found to be so just, and
so clear, that it followed them. Meanwhile the sister
would take no care of my daughter, and when I took
care of her, she was displeased. I was not able, by any
means, to prevail on her to promise me that she would
try to prevent her contracting bad habits. However, I
hoped that Father La Combe, at his return, would
bring everything into order, and renew my consolation.
Yet I left it all to God.

About July, 1682, my sister, who was an Ursuline,
got permission to come to the waters. She brought a
maid with her, which was very seasonable. My sister
assisted in the education of my daughter, but she had
frequent jarring with her tutoress — I labored but in
vain for peace. By some instances which I met with

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THE LIFE OF MADAME GUYON.

in this place, I saw clearly that it is not great gifts
which sanctify, unless they be accompanied with a pro¬
found humility; and that death to everything is infin¬
itely more beneficial; for there was one who thought
herself at the summit of perfection, but has discovered
since, by the trials which have befallen her, that she
was yet very far from it. O, my God, how true it is
that we may have of thy gifts, and yet be very imper¬
fect, and full of ourselves!

How very straight is the gate which leads to a life
in God ! how little one must be to pass through it, it
being nothing else but death to self ! But when we
have passed through it, what enlargement do we find !
David saith, (Psalm xviii. 19.) “ He brought me forth
into a ]arge place.” And it was through humiliation
and abasement that he was brought thither.

Father La Combe, on his arrival, came to see me.
The first thing he said was about his own weakness,
and that I must return. He added, “ that all seemed
dark, and there was no likelihood that God would
make use of me in this country.” The Bishop of Gen¬
eva wrote to Father La Mothe to get me to return, and
he wrote to me accordingly to do it. The first Lent
which I passed with the Ursulines, I had a very great
pain in my eyes; for that same imposthume which I
formerly had between the eye and the nose, returned
upon me three times. The bad air, and the noisome
chamber which I was in, contributed hereto. My head
was frightfully swelled, but great was my inward joy.
It was strange to see so many good creatures, who did
not know me, love and pity me; and all the rest
enraged against me, and most of them on reports
entirely false, neither knowing me, nor why they so

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241

hated me. To swell the stream of affliction yet more,
my daughter fell sick and was likely to die; there was
but little hope of her recovery, when her mistress also
fell ill My soul, leaving all to God, continued to rest
in a quiet and peaceable habitation. Oh principal and
sole object of my love ! Were there never any other
reward of what little services we do, or of the marks of
homage we render thee, than this fixed state above the
vicissitudes in the world, is it not enough ? The senses
indeed are sometimes ready to start aside, and to run
off like truants; but every trouble flies before the soul
which is entirely subjected to God. By speaking of a
fixed state, I do not mean one which can never decline
or fall, that being only in heaven. I call it fixed and
permanent, compared with the states which have pre¬
ceded it, which were full of vicissitudes and variations.
I do not exclude a state of suffering in the senses, or
arising from superficial impurity, which remains to be
done away, and which one may compare to refined but
tarnished gold. It has no more need to be purified in
the fire, having undergone that operation; but needs
only to be burnished. So it seemed to be with me at
that time.

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TKB LIFE OF MADAMS GUYQH.