There's a shorter, yet worthier, path to be trod, Where troubles, or tortures, the lover of GoD IV. No road strew'd with roses expecting to find, I suffer'd for sinners, to death was resign'd, V. The self-pleasing path be no longer survey'd, By tracing me here let thy love be display'd CHAP. XXI. AND LAST. life has ever been consecrated to the AS my my spirit began to breathe a little, after so many persecutions, but my body was afflicted with all sorts of infirmities. I have had almost continual maladies, which often brought me to the very verge of death. In these last times I can hardly speak at all of my dispositions. For my state is become quite simple and without any variations. It is a profound annihilation. I find nothing in myself to which I can give a name. All that I know is that GOD is infinitely holy, righteous, good and happy. I see nothing below myself, nothing more unworthy of his bounties than I am. I acknowledge that GOD has heaped favours on me, enough to save a world, which I have requited too much with ingratitude. All good is in HIM; I am a mere Nothing. To me every condition seems equal. All is lost in his immensity, like a little drop of water in the sea. In this divine immensity the soul sees itself no more, but it discerns every object in GOD, without discerning them otherwise than by the feeling of the heart. All is darkness in regard to itself, all is light on the side of God, who lets me be ignorant of nothing that is proper, or of real advantage. There is here neither clamour, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor vain pleasure, nor uncertainty; but a perfect peace; not in self, but in GoD: No interest for self, no anxiety, recollection or bustle for self. If any think there is any good in me, they are mistaken, and by such thought do injury to my LORD. All good is in him and for him. The greatest satisfaction I can have is because HE IS WHAT HE IS ; and will be so for ever. If he save me, it must be gratuitousfy; for I have neither merit nor deseft. I AM astonished that any should place confidence in such a poor nothing creature as I am. I have sometimes said it. Nevertheless, I answer what they ask without difficulty. My own will and inclinations are vanished. Poverty and nakedness are my portion. Sometimes indeed I could wish to undergo the worst of sufferings, so that souls might be brought thereby to know and love God. I DEARLY love the church: whatever wounds that wounds me. I seek nothing for myself. I study nothing; but there are given me immediately, as occasion requires, the most weighty and powerful words. If I wanted to have them they would escape me, and I could by no means catch or recover them. When I have something to say, if I am interrupted all is lost. I am then like a child from whom his apple is secreted. He looks about for it, but in vain: it is gone. Kkk I feel which deviates from this principle is fashood. He who speaks the ALL OF GOD AND NOTHING OF THE CREATURE, is in the truth, and the truth dwelleth in him, usurpation and selfishness being banished from him. My Children, receive this instruction from your mother, and it will procure you life. Receive it through her, not as from her, but as of GOD, and to God. Amen! LORD JESUS CHRIST! CONCLUSION. I INTREAT all such as shall read this, not to think hardly of the persons, who through a zeal, perhaps too bitter, have push'd things so far against a woman, and against one so submissive; because, as Tauleurs says in his institutions, Chap. xi. "GOD willing to purify a soul by suf"ferings, might permit an infinite number of "well disposed persons to fall into darkness and "blindness toward that soul, in order to prepare "this chosen vessel, by the rash bias of their judgments in such a state of ignorance; but "that at last, after having purified this vessel, he "will take away the veil sooner or later, from "their eyes, not treating them with rigour for a "fault which they have committed through a "hidden conduct of his adorable providence."I say much more, that sooner would GoD send 66 an angel from heaven, to refine this chosen ves"sel through tribulations, than leave it without "sufferings." December, 1709. [HERE she left off her own Narrative, though she lived a retired life above seven years after this date. What she had wrote being only done in obedience to the commands of her director. She died the 9th of June, 1717, at Blois, in the se、 ventieth Year of her age.] A SHORT AND EASY METHOD OF PRAYER. TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH OF MADAM J. M. B. DE LA MOTHE GUION, BY THOMAS DIGBY BROOKE. THE TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. THE following excellent book was the first essay of the truly pious Madam GUION; it was, quickly after its publication, dispersed through great part of France; and it proved the happy instrument of many conversions. Those who were athirst for righteousness, eagerly imbibed the simple and efficacious precepts it contains; and those who had already made advances in the Divine Life were convinced of the truth of their way, and found ample instructions how to proceed. None who were advocates for genuine piety, could be offended at it; as the most salutary instructions for the attainment of Christian Perfection are enforced, without being blended with such matters of opinion as cause offence. Through the treatise, it is certain, that there are two fundamental truths taken for granted, namely, THE FALL FALL and THE REDEMPTION: and, indeed, whosoever doth not inwardly feel the former, cannot experience the benefit of the latter; he hath no business with this book, nor even with The Bible; "he is whole, and needeth not a Physician." Should but a few of my Christian Brethren reap advantage from this attempt to bring to light a treasure that has lain so long hidden and unnoticed, it would be, not only an abundant recompence for any little trouble I may have had in the translation, but also an encouragement to publish some other pieces of this illuminated Author. THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE. THIS little treatise, conceived in great simplicity, was not originally intended for publication: it was written for a few individuals, who were desirous to love GOD with their whole heart; some of whom, because of the profit they received in reading the manuscript, wished to obtam copies of it; and, on this account alone, it was committed to the press. It still remains in its original simplicity, without any censure on the various Divine Leadings of others: and we submit the whole to the judgment of those, who are skilled and experienced in Divine matters; requesting them, however, not to decide, without first entering into the main design of the Author, which is to induce the world to love GOD, and to serve him with comfort and success, in a simple and easy manner, adapted to those who are unqualified for learned and deep researches, and are, indeed, incapable of any thing but a hearty desire to be truly devoted to God. An unprejudiced reader may find, hidden under the most common expressions, a secret unction, which will excite him to seek after that Sovereign Good, whom all should wish to enjoy. In speaking of the attainment of perfection, the word FACILITY is used; because GOD is, indeed, found with facility, when we seek him within ourselves. But, in contradiction to this, some, perhaps, may urge that passage in St. John, "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find "me;" (Chap. vii. 34.) this apparent difficulty, however, is removed by another passage, where he, who cannot contradict |