to him, that master is then rendered of no use. It is he who brings into the perfect liberty of the Sons of GOD, which liberty flows from the Spirit of GOD. But what are those souls designed for, which are so dear to him? To be conformed to the Image of his Son. (Rom. viii. 29. 30.)

It is here that the apostolic life begins. But is every one called to that state?-Very few, indeed, as far as I can comprehend; and, of the few that are called to it, fewer still walk in true purity. There is a way of lights, gifts and graces, a holy life in which the creature appears all admirable: As this life is more apparent, so it is more esteemed of such at least as have not the purest light. The souls which walk in the other path are often very little known; for a length of time, as it was with JESUS CHRIST himself, till the last years of his life. Oh if I could express what I conceive of this state! But I can only stammer about it,-I have wandered far from my story, but am not capable of doing otherwise.

BR

CHAP. IX.

EING, as I have said, with the Ursulines at Tonon, after having spoken to the Bishop of Geneva, and seeing how he changed, just as others turned him, I wrote to him and to Father La Mothe; but all my pains were useless. The more I endeavoured to accommodate matters, the more the Ecclesiastic tried to confound them.-I ceased to meddle.

I HAD a dream that I drew a cord which seem ed at first of diamond; but afterwards it appeared to be of iron. I saw storms coming on every side; yet I rested in a profound peace, waiting for the strokes which I could not avoid. I beheld the tempest descend impetuously, without my hav ing done the least thing to contribute to it, or seeing any thing for me to do but peaceably to suffer. One day I was told that the Ecclesiastic had won over the good girl whom I dearly loved. So strong a desire I had 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 immoveable.

As for me, there scarce passed a day but they treated me with new insults; their assaults came on me at unawares. The new Catholicks, by the instigation of the Bishop of Geneva, the Eccle siastic, and the sisters at Gex, stirred up all the persons of piety against me, I had but little uneasiness on my account. If I could have had it on any, it would have been on that of Father La Combe, whom they vilely aspersed, though he

was

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 labours, which was inconceivably great. At first I was too ready to vindicate him, thinking it justice to do it. I did not do it at all for myself; and our LORD shewed 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 surprize 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 openings. When they don't see things presently succeed, 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 selfannihilation. 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 morning till night, upbraiding me with what I had left, and coming to a place where I was good for nothing. I was obliged to bear all her ill-humours and the clamours of her tongue.

F., La

F. 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 nothing 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 it 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 glimmering 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 honour, and his doctrine so highly esteemed, that the sacred congregation 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. Mean while 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 to try to prevent her contracting bad habits. However I hoped that Father La Combe, at his return, would bring every thing into order, and renew my consolatiYet I left it all to GOD.

on.

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 laboured but in vain for peace.-By some instances which I met with in this place, I saw clearly that it is not great gifts which sanctify, unless they be accompanied with a profound humility;

mility; and that death to every thing is infinitely 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. Oh my God, how true it is that we may have of thy gifts, and yet be very imperfect, and full of ourselves!

How very straight is the gate which leads to a life in GOD! how little and stript of every thing one must be to pass through it, it being nothing else but death to ourselves! But when passed through it, what enlargements do we find! David saith, (Psalm xviii. 19.) " He brought me "forth into a large place." And what is this but that infinite Being, in whom all other beings terminate? And it was through humiliation and abasement that he was brought hither.

F. 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 no likelihood that GOD "would make use of me in this country." The Bishop of Geneva 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 very great pains in my eyes; for that same imposthume which I formerly had between the eye and the nose, returned upon me thrice over. The bad air, and the chamber which I was in, too open to it, contributed hereto. My head was frightfully swelled, but great was my inward joy. It was a thing somewhat particular, to see 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