CHAPTER X.

I wrote an account of my wonderful change, in
point of happiness, to that good father who had been
made the instrument of it. It filled him both with joy
and astonishment O my God, what penances did the
love of suffering induce me to undergo! I was im¬
pelled to deprive myself of the most innocent indulg¬
ences; all that could gratify my taste was denied it,
and I took everything that could mortify and disgust
it, insomuch that my appetite, which had been
extremely delicate, was so far conquered, that at length
I could scarcely prefer one thing to another.

I dressed loathsome sores and wounds, and gave
remedies to the sick. When I first engaged in this
sort of employment, it was with the greatest difficulty
I was able to bear it. But as soon as my aversion
ceased, and I could stand the most offensive things,
other channels of employment were opened to me.
For I did nothing of myself, but left myself to be
wholly governed by my Sovereign in all things.

When that good father asked me how I loved God,
I answered, “Far more than the most passionate
lover his beloved; and that even this comparison was
inadequate, since the love of the creature never can
attain to this, either in strength or in depth.” This
love of God occupied my heart so constantly and so
strongly, that I could think of nothing else, as indeed
I judged nothing else worthy of my thoughts.

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THE LIFE OF MADAME GTJYON.

The good father above mentioned was an excellent
preacher. He was desired to preach in the parish to
which I belonged. When I came, I was so strongly
absorbed in God, that I could neither open my eyes,
nor hear anything he said. I found that thy Word,
O my God, made its own impression on my heart, and
there had its effect, without the mediation of words,
or any attention to them. And I have found it so ever
since, but after a different manner, according to the
different degrees and states I have passed through.
So deeply was I settled in the inward spirit of prayer,
that I could scarce any more pronounce the vocal
prayers.

This immersion in God absorbed all things therein.
I could no more see the saints, or even the Blessed
Virgin, out of God; but I beheld them all in him.
And although I tenderly loved certain saints, as St.
Peter, St. Paul, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Teresa, yet I
could not form to myself images of them, nor invoke
any of them out of God.

A few weeks after I had received that interior
wound of the heart, which had begun my change, the
feast of the Blessed Virgin was held, in the convent in
which was that good father my director. I went in
the morning to get the indulgences, which were then
dispensed, and was much surprised when I came there
and found that I could not attempt it; though I stayed
above five hours in the Church. I was penetrated with
so lively a dart of pure love, that I could not resolve to
abridge by indulgences the pains due to my sins. “O,
my Love,” I cried, “I am willing to suffer for thee. I
find no other pleasure but in suffering for thee. Indul¬
gences may be good for those who know not the value

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67

of sufferings, who choose not that thy divine justice
should be satisfied; who, having mercenary souls, are
not so much afraid of displeasing thee, as of the pains
annexed to sin.” Yet, fearing I might be mistaken,
and commit a fault in not getting the indulgences, for
I had never heard of any one being in such a way
before, I returned again to try to get them, but in
vain; so not knowing what to do, I resigned myself
herein to our Lord; and, when I returned home, I
wrote to the good father an account of my disposition
and sentiments, in such a manner, that, preaching that
day, he made what I had written a part of his sermon,
reciting it verbatum as I had written it.

I now quitted all company, bade farewell forever to
$11 plays and diversions, dancing, unprofitable walks
and parties of pleasure. For two years I had left off
dressing my hair, — it became me, and my husband
approved it. My only pleasure now was to steal some
moments Lo be alone with thee, O thou who art my
only Love ! 411 other pleasure was a pain to me. J
lost not thy presence, which was given me by a con¬
tinual infusion, net as I had imagined, by the efforts of
the head, or by force of thought in meditating on God,
but in the will, where i tasted with unutterable sweet¬
ness the enjoyment of the beloved object; yet not as I
came to do afterwards, by an essential union, but by a
real union in the will, which brought me to discern, in
a happy experience, that the soul was created to enjoy
its God.

The union of the will subjects the soul to God.
conforms it to all his pleasure, causes self-will gradually
to die, and lastly drawing with it the other powers, by
means of the charity with which it is filled, it causes

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THE LIFE OF MADAME GUYON.

them gradually to be reunited in the Center, and lost
therein, as to their own nature and operations.

This loss is called the annihilation of the powers,
for although in themselves they still subsist, yet they
seem annihilated to us, in proportion as charity fills
and inflames, it becomes so strong, as by degrees to
surmount all the activities of the will of man, subject¬
ing it to that of God, in such sort that when the soul
is docAe, and leaves itself to be purified, and emptied
of all that which it has of its own, opposite to the will
of God, it finds itself by little and little, detached from
every emotion of its own, and placed in a holy in¬
difference, wishing nothing but what God does and
wills. But this never can be effected by the activity of
our own will, even though it were employed in con¬
tinual acts of resignation; because these, though very
virtuous, are so far one’s own actions, and cause
the will to subsist in a multiplicity, in a kind of separ¬
ate distinction or dissimilitude from God.

When the will of the creature entirely submits to
that of the Creator, suffering freely and voluntarily —
and yielding only a concurrence to the divine will
(which is its absolute submission) — suffering itself to
be totally surmounted and destroyed, by the operations
of love; this absorbs the will into itself, consummates it
in that of God, and purifies it from all narrowness, dis¬
similitude, and selfishness.

The case is the same with the other two powers,
whereunto, by means of charity, the two other theolog¬
ical virtues, faith and hope, are introduced. Faith so
strongly siezes on the understanding, as to make it
decline all reasonings, all particular illuminations and
illustrations, how sublime soever; which sufficiently

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69

demonstrates how far visions, revelations, ecstacies, &c.,
difter from this, and hinder the soul from being lost in
God. For although by them it appears lost in him for
some transient moments, yet it is not a true loss, since
the soul which is entirely lost in God finds itself again
no more. Faith then makes the soul lose every dis¬
tinct light, in order to place it in its own pure light.

The memory, too, finds all its little activities sur¬
mounted by degrees, and absorbed in hope, and
finally the powers are all concentrated and lost in pure
love, which engulphs them into itself by means of their
sovereign, the Will; for the will is the sovereign of
the powers, as charity is the queen of the virtues, and
unites them all in herself.

This reunion which is thus made, is called, the cen¬
tral union or unity — because that by means of the will
and love, all are reunited in the centre of the soul in
God, our ultimate end. According to St. John, — “ He
who dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, for God is
love.”

This union of my will to thine, O my God, and this
ineffable presence was so sweet and powerful, that I
was compelled to yield to its delightful power,- — which
was strict and severe to my minutest faults.

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THE LIFE OF MADAME GUYON.