Letters of Madam Guyon Part 4

This method of communication is only a superior fountain discharging itself into another; or, as two rivers bearing each other to the same sea.

Receive then this poor heart in the fulness of Christ's love, and believe me, no one can be more fully united to you than I am.

SIMPLICITY AND POWER OF THE WORD.

You enquire, my friend, why I do not use obscure terms and extraordinary expressions, in explaining the Scriptures. My Lord teaches me, that while there are no writings so profound as the Gospels, there are none so simple. And further, that simplicity of soul gives simplicity of expression. When we speak of a state beyond our experience, we do so with difficulty, and have recourse to learning to aid us, and use forced expressions.

In the natural, simple expressions of Scripture, there are deep sentiments, adapted to the wants of each soul--to those less and more advanced.

The word of G.o.d enters the centre of the soul; it has a penetrating quality; an operative efficiency. No words of man can produce the same effect; at least, none but such as come from souls, who are pure channels of the word of G.o.d. It is the good pleasure of our Lord, to express and reproduce himself upon the self-abandoned soul. Who does not admire the profound mystery of the creation of the world, where G.o.d produced all things by his word? When G.o.d created man, he formed him of the dust of the earth--the lowest form of matter--made of dust, that he might not rob G.o.d of his glory! But man thus created, received _the spirit_--the breath of the Word. This dust of the earth became the living breath of G.o.d. When Jesus Christ is formed in the soul, he imparts not only a clear understanding of the word, but is himself the Word, reproduced in the soul. Those only in whom Christ dwells, fulfill the word, or have the word accomplished in them. Such only are able fully to interpret the word. It is not learning which best explains the truths of G.o.d, but the reproduction of these truths in the life---the experience of them.

FORGETFULNESS OF SELF.

I cannot compliment you, dear sir, and I am persuaded, that you will expect from me, only the simplicity of the Christian. This simplicity leads me to say, only what our Lord gives me. You need more of this simplicity. The frequent self-returns you make, dwelling so much on your unworthiness, although it may have the appearance of humility, is only a refined self-love. True simplicity regards G.o.d alone; it has its eye fixed upon him, and is not drawn towards self; and it is as pleased to say humble as great things.

All our uneasy feelings and reflections, arise from self-love, whatever appearance of piety they may a.s.sume. The lack of simplicity inflicts many wounds. Go where we will, if we remain in ourselves, we shall carry everywhere our sins and our distresses. If we would live in peace, we must lose sight of self, and rest in the infinite and unchangeable G.o.d. These self-returns have a tendency to establish the soul more and more in itself, and hinder it from running into its great original. But it is to this, G.o.d is calling you. You withhold from G.o.d the only thing he desires--_the possession of your heart_. The time is short; wherefore spend it in the compa.s.s and surroundings of self? The single eye sees only G.o.d. You act as a person who being called before a king, instead of regarding the king and his benefits, is occupied only with his own dress and appearance. G.o.d wishes to disarrange you--to destroy self; and you wish to preserve what he would destroy. Be more afraid of self than of the evil one. It is the spirit of Satan to exalt self above G.o.d, and this spirit is fostered by these continual returns you make upon your own doings and misdoings, which leaves no place in your mind for the occupation of G.o.d.

DIVERSITY OF MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION.

Although there are impenetrable mysteries in G.o.d's dealings with souls, in order to promote their sanctification, it is true that each soul, aside from the ordinary means, common to all, has a specific training, and this method of the divine order can alone accomplish the work. The means that sanctifies another may not sanctify you. You, my friend, will not be led by great crosses and severe sufferings, but in the way of helpless infancy. The child-like, yielding soul is necessary for you; therefore G.o.d has chosen a child, myself, to be your helper.

Forget yourself as the man to whom many eyes are turned, and become the little, helpless one, who cannot take care of itself, but lets another care for it. The pride, presumption and vanity, of the natural man, must give place to the littleness and simplicity of the child. Says our Saviour, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." O, when shall we learn that it is littleness, and not greatness, that G.o.d requires of his child!

G.o.d has given me a maternal yearning for your soul. I sympathize deeply in your wants and burdens. Be a.s.sured, the eyes of the G.o.d of Love are upon you. I entreat you, yield to the influences which are in operation to restore your soul to G.o.d. I can offer no apology for my letter; for in all things, I obey my Lord.

COMFORT IN AFFLICTION.

I a.s.sure you, Dear Sir, I sympathize deeply in your afflictions. With all my heart I present you before our Lord. I have prayed, and still pray, that if you are called to partic.i.p.ate in the sufferings of Jesus Christ, you may partake also of his patience and submission. You will find the Lord at all times near your heart, when you seek him by a simple and sincere desire to do and suffer his will. He will be your support and consolation in this time of trouble, if you go to him, not with fear and agitation of spirit, but with calm, confiding love.

Jesus said to the blind man, whose eyes he anointed with clay, "Go wash in the waters of Siloam"--waters soft and tranquil. O, that you might experience the abiding peace which Christ gives. O, that you might become reduced to the simplicity of the little child! It is the child who approaches the nearest to Jesus Christ. It is the child whom he takes in his arms and carries in his bosom. O, how lovely, how attractive, is child-like simplicity! May the sufferings you are now experiencing, render you, child-like and submissive to all the will of your Father. My ill health forbids my writing more fully. G.o.d loves you, and you are very dear to me in him. Amen. Jesus, help.

BEARING FRUIT IN UNION WITH CHRIST.

G.o.d has united my soul to yours in the oneness of his own nature, and when all the obstructions on your part are removed, you will realize this same divine union. "We have many masters, as said St. Paul, but only _one Father in Christ_." This Father unites himself to us by the impartation of his own nature, and from this communication, of himself to the soul, proceeds our spiritual paternity; or the power by which we communicate to others what we receive from him. We are not always sensible how this power, or aid we render others, is imparted. In some individuals it is more manifest than in others. It always adapts itself to the subject who receives it. All the gifts and graces of the spirit are either more sensible and apparent, or more spiritual and inward, according to the power of receptivity in the individual.

It seems to me that when I am with you, there is only a simple, imperceptible transmission from my soul to yours. You do not perceive any marked results, and they are not great, because you are not in a state to receive much, and often interrupt me by speaking, which causes in me a vacillation of grace. If we were together some considerable time without distraction, you would perceive more marked results. It is the desire of G.o.d that there should be, between us, perfect interchange of thoughts, of hearts, of souls;--a flux and reflux, such as there will be when souls are new-created in Christ Jesus. At present, my soul in rotation to yours, is as a river which enters into the sea, to draw and invite the smaller river to lose itself also in the sea.

This truth,--the fruitfulness of souls who are in G.o.d, whereby they communicate grace,--however much it is rejected, is, nevertheless, a truth. This flux and reflux of communication, like the ebbing and flowing of the great ocean-current, is the secret of the heavenly hierarchy, and makes a communication from superior orders to inferior,--and of equality, between angels of the same order.

During all eternity, the communication of G.o.d the Father, and the Son, to angels and saints, and their reciprocal communication to each other, will be a well-spring of blessedness. The design of G.o.d, in the creation of men, has been to a.s.sociate to himself living beings, to whom he could communicate himself. He could create nothing greater than likenesses of himself. All the splendor of angels and saints, is but light reflected from G.o.d.

G.o.d could not see himself reflected in saints, without their partic.i.p.ating of these two qualities, fruitfulness and reciprocal communication. In this life all perfection consists, in that which makes the consummation of this same perfection in heaven, No one can be perfect, if he is not perfect _as_ the Father in heaven is perfect; that is, partaking of his nature.

Jesus Christ is the Father of souls; his generation, or the souls that are begotten of him, are eternal in their nature as he is. The figure, "giving us his flesh to eat," is the nourishment he gives the soul in communication with himself; or himself reproduced, or begotten in us.

The eternal Word is the essential, undying life of the soul.

DESOLATE STATE.

Believe me, dear madam, I take a deep interest in your spiritual welfare, and I earnestly hope your confidence in G.o.d will not fail, on account of your present desolate state. As the winter plunges still deeper the roots of the trees in the earth, so the wintry state of the soul plunges it deeper in humiliation. Remember the confidence of Job, "Although he slay me, I will trust in him." Although stripped of all consolation, and left in the desolation of nothingness, you may yet rejoice in G.o.d--out of, and separate from, self. Let the earth be stripped of her foliage; let neither flowers nor fruit appear; yet _G.o.d is_, therefore you may be happy. The mother loves to sacrifice herself for her child, and finds her life in what affords it happiness; thus die to self, in relation to G.o.d.

When your weaknesses rise up before you, when you would weep over some error in judgment, or some unguarded expression, do as the little child, who having fallen into the mud, carries its hands to its mother, who cheerfully wipes them, and consoles him after the fall. Can you not believe G.o.d loves you, as much as you love the little one enfolded in your arms? Does he not say, "A mother may forget, yet I will never forget thee!"

The discovery of your weakness and emptiness, is an evidence of G.o.d's love; and while it is ground for humiliation, it is also of thanksgiving. When it pleases G.o.d to fill this void with his grace, it is cause of thankfulness; but if we realized at all times this fullness, we should be in danger of appropriating the grace of G.o.d to ourselves. Thus, our times of desolation are necessary, and we should accept them joyfully, as a portion of the bread our father gives us.

Yours in tender sympathy.

SELF-ABANDONMENT.

The death of self is not accomplished at once. It is for some time a living death. Its opposite, spiritual life, is represented by Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones. First, the bones were rejoined; afterwards covered with sinews; then the flesh appeared; and finally, the spirit of the Lord animated them. When the soul begins to incline towards G.o.d, it finds many obstructions; but in proportion as we yield to the will of G.o.d, these obstructions are removed. The following simile will help to ill.u.s.trate my idea. The rivers empty themselves into the sea; before they lose themselves there. Wave by wave following its course, seems to urge onward the river, to lose itself in the sea. G.o.d imparts to the soul some waves of pure love, to urge on the soul to himself; but as the river does not lose itself in the sea, until its own waters are exhausted, so the soul reaches G.o.d, and loses itself in G.o.d, only when the means of supply from self are at an end.

As the waves, which are precipitated into the sea, roll many times before they are lost in the sea, so the soul undergoes many changes, before it is received into G.o.d.

The results of self-crucifixion are happy, because G.o.d then becomes all to the soul. We lose self, and subst.i.tute G.o.d in its place. We take away the finite, and receive the Infinite. This is blessed.

NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS.

What shall I say regarding the state in which you find yourself, in relation to me? I have no movement either to promote our re-union, or hinder it. Let G.o.d direct. Are you leaning upon him, or upon the creature? If on the creature, it is a bruised reed, which will fail you. G.o.d sometimes makes use of instruments, whom he finds it necessary afterwards to reject. If he designs to remove me from you, can I have any wish to retain you? G.o.d forbid. He may design this separation, to make you die to any confidence in the creature. He may no longer design to use me for your benefit. I might have mingled my own impurity, with his pure light flowing through me. If G.o.d permit me to err, it is on account of my pride. I have never given you any a.s.surance of my infallibility. What am I but an erring creature?

Leave me, leave me, and unite yourself only to G.o.d, who will never mislead you. Means are good, only in the order of G.o.d. They injure us, if we rest in them. If G.o.d remove me from you, acquiesce in his will, with a devotion worthy of a child of G.o.d. Be humble, and courageous enough to own your fault, in leaning on an arm of flesh.

Men of the world may be obstinate, but the child of G.o.d should be supple. Whatever separation there may be between us, believe me, you will always be dear to me in our dear Lord. I hope, when you are lost in him, you will find this little drop of water, (myself) in the same great ocean of love.

CHILD OF G.o.d SOON TO DIE.

I have had a presentiment that you would not survive this illness. I lose in you the most faithful, and the only friend on whom I could rely, in the persecutions which threaten me. I feel my loss, but rejoice in your happiness, I could envy you. Death only lends a helping hand to rend away the veil, which hides infinite beauties. Our Lord has strongly cemented our souls. May the benediction of the divine Master rest upon you. Go, blessed soul, and receive the recompense prepared for all those, who are wholly the Lord's. Go, we separate in the name of the Lord; I cannot say a last adieu, for we shall be forever united in him. I hope, in the goodness of G.o.d, to be present with you in heart and spirit, at the time of your departure, and to receive with you, the divine Master who is waiting for you. Be my amba.s.sador in the courts above, and say to him I love him.