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COPYRIGHT NOTICE
This E-Text © 1999, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013 Pass the WORD Services.E-Text C!"ri#ht re$e%s %ith each !&'(ishe) &!)ate.
On-line at PTW: August 7, 1999
Last update: January 21, 2013
Madame Guyon's
A Short & Very EasyMethod of Prayer
This English translation originally appeared in "Spiritual Progress"
or Instructions in the Divine Life of the Soul
from the French of Fenelon and Madame Guyon"Printed in !#$ Edited %y &ames '( Metcalf(
Reference Note t *)er$ Rea)ers+ The scri!t&re reere$ces sh%$ as Ecc(es%ithi$ the text this !iece, reer s/eti/es t the O() Testa/e$t
Ecclesiastes, %hich a!!ears ater the Prver's, '&t at ther ti/es t the O()Testa/e$t Ecclesiasticus, %hich i$ the D&a" Rhei/s ersi$, a!!eare) &st'ere 4saias.
A SHORT AND VERY EASY
METHOD
OF
PRAYER;
WHICH ALL CAN PRACTICE WITH THE GREATEST FACILITY
AND ARRIVE IN A SHORT TIME !Y ITS MEANS
AT A HIGH DEGREE OF PERFECTION"
!Y MADAME G#YON
$%&( ) %*%*+
"Walk before me
and be thou perfect."
Gen( )vii(!(
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T,e Au-,o.'s P.e/a0e"
T*IS little treatise+ conceived in great simplicity+ ,as not originally intended for
pu%lication( It ,as ,ritten for a fe, individuals+ ,ho ,ere desirous of lovingGod ,ith all their heart( Many+ ho,ever+ %ecause of the profit they received in
reading the manuscript+ ,ished to o%tain copies+ and+ on this account alone+ it
,as committed to the press(
It still remains in its original simplicity( It contains no censure on the various
divine leadings of others on the contrary+ it enforces the received teachings(
The ,hole is su%mitted to the -udgment of the learned and e)perienced
re.uesting them+ ho,ever+ not to stop at the surface+ %ut to enter into the main
design of the author+ ,hich is to induce the whole world to love God, and to serve Him with comfort and success, in a simple and easy manner+ adapted to
those little ones ,ho are un.ualified for learned and deep researches+ %ut ,hoearnestly desire to be truly devoted to God.
/n unpre-udiced reader ,ill find+ hidden under the most common e)pressions+a secret unction+ ,hich ,ill e)cite him to see0 after that happiness ,hich all
should ,ish to en-oy(
In asserting that perfection is easily attained+ the ,ord facility, is used %ecauseGod is+ indeed found ,ith facility+ when we seek Him within ourselves. 1ut
some+ perhaps+ may urge that passage in St( &ohn "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me," 2vii( $34 this apparent difficulty+ ho,ever+ is removed %y another passage+ ,here *e+ ,ho cannot contradict himself+ has said to all+ "Seek and ye shall find," 2 Matt ( vii( 54( It is true+ indeed+ that he ,ho ,ould see0 God+ and is yet
un,illing to forsa0e his sins+ shall not find him+ %ecause he see0s *im ,here
*e is not and+ therefore+ it is added+ "Ye shall die in your sins." 1ut he+ ,ho,ill ta0e some trou%le to see0 God in his o,n heart+ and sincerely forsa0e his
sin+ that he may dra, near unto *im+ shall infalli%ly find *im(
/ life of piety appears so frightful to many+ and prayer of such difficult
attainment+ that they are discouraged from ta0ing a single step to,ards it( 1ut
as the apprehended difficulty of an underta0ing often causes despair of succeeding and reluctance in commencing+ so its desira%leness+ and the idea
that it is easy to accomplish+ induce us to enter upon its pursuit ,ith pleasure+
and to pursue it ,ith vigor( The advantages and facility of this ,ay aretherefore set forth in the follo,ing treatise(
6 ,ere ,e once persuaded of the goodness of God to,ard his poor creatures+
and of his desire to communicate *imself to them+ ,e should not create idealmonsters+ nor so easily despair of o%taining that good ,hich *e is so earnest to
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%esto,7 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all how
shall He not, with him, also freely !ive us all thin!s" 2 #om( viii( $84( It needs only a
little courage and perseverance ,e have enough of %oth in our temporal
concerns+ %ut none at all in the one thing needful+ 2 $uke )( 384(
If any thin0 that God is not easily to %e found in this ,ay+ let them not on my
testimony alter their minds+ %ut let them try it+ and their o,n e)perience ,illconvince them+ that the reality far e)ceeds all my representations of it(
1eloved reader+ puruse this little tract ,ith a sincere and candid spirit+ in
lo,liness of mind+ and not ,ith an inclination to critici9e+ and you ,ill not failto reap profit from it( It ,as ,ritten ,ith a desire that you might wholly devote
yourself to God receive it then ,ith a li0e desire7 for it has no other design than
to invite the simple and the child:li0e to approach their father+ ,ho delights inthe hum%le confidence of his children+ and is greatly grieved at their distrust(
'ith a sincere desire+ therefore+ for your salvation+ see0 nothing from the
unpretending method here proposed+ %ut the love of God+ and you shall
assuredly o%tain it(
'ithout setting up our opinions a%ove those of others+ ,e mean only ,ithsincerity to declare+ from our o,n e)perience and the e)perience of others+ the
happy effects produced %y thus simply follo,ing after the Lord(
/s this treatise ,as intended only to instruct in prayer+ nothing is said of manythings ,hich ,e esteem+ %ecause they do not immediately relate to our main
su%-ect( It is+ ho,ever+ %eyond a dou%t+ that nothing ,ill %e found herein to
offend+ provided it %e read in the spirit ,ith ,hich it ,as ,ritten( /nd it is still
more certain+ that those ,ho in right earnest ma0e trial of the ,ay+ ,ill find ,ehave ,ritten the truth(
It is Thou alone+ 6 holy &esus+ ,ho lovest simplicity and innocence+ "and whose deli!ht is to dwell with the children of men," 2 %rov( viii( $!4+ ,ith those
,ho are+ indeed+ ,illing to %ecome "little children," 2 Matt ( )viii( $4 it is Thou
alone+ ,ho canst render this little ,or0 of any value+ %y imprinting it on theheart+ and leading those ,ho read it to see0 Thee ,ithin themselves+ ,here
Thou reposest as in the manger+ ,aiting to receive proofs of their love+ and to
give them testimony of thine( They lose these advantages %y their o,n fault(1ut it %elongeth unto thee+ 6 child /lmighty; uncreated Love; silent and all:
containing 'ord; to ma0e thyself loved+ en-oyed and understood( Thou canst
do it and I 0no, Thou ,ilt do it %y this little ,or0+ ,hich %elongeth entirely to
Thee+ proceedeth ,holly from Thee+ and tendeth only to Thee;
C H A P T E R I"
THE PRAYER OF THE HEART"
/LL are capa%le of prayer+ and it is a dreadful misfortune that almost all the
,orld have conceived the idea that they are not called to prayer( 'e are all
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called to prayer+ as ,e are all called to salvation(
P</=E< is nothing %ut the application of the heart to God, and the internale)ercise of love( St( Paul has en-oined us to "pray without ceasin!" 2& 'hess( v(!54
and our Lord %ids us ,atch and pray+ 2 Mark )iii( $$+$547 all therefore may+ and all
ought to practise prayer( I grant that meditation is attaina%le %ut %y fe,+ for fe,
are capa%le of it and therefore+ my %eloved %rethren ,ho are athirst for salvation+ meditative prayer is not the prayer ,hich God re.uires of you+ nor
,hich ,e ,ould recommend(
8( Let all pray7 you should live %y prayer+ as you should live %y love( "( counsel you to buy of me !old tried in the fire, that ye may be rich." 2 #ev( iii( !(4 This is
very easily o%tained+ much more easily than you can conceive(
>ome all ye that are athirst to the living ,aters+ nor lose your precious moments
in he,ing out cisterns that ,ill hold no ,ater( 2&ohn vii( $5 &er( ii( !$(4 >ome ye
famishing souls+ ,ho find nought to satisfy you come+ and ye shall %e filled;
>ome+ ye poor afflicted ones+ %ending %eneath your load of ,retchedness and pain+ and ye shall %e consoled; >ome+ ye sic0+ to your physician+ and %e not
fearful of approaching him %ecause ye are filled ,ith diseases sho, them+ andthey shall %e healed;
>hildren+ dra, near to your Father+ and he ,ill em%race you in the arms of
love; >ome ye poor+ stray+ ,andering sheep+ return to your Shepherd; >ome+sinners+ to your Saviour; >ome ye dull+ ignorant+ and illiterate+ ye ,ho thin0
yourselves the most incapa%le of prayer; ye are more peculiarly called and
adapted thereto( Let all ,ithout e)ception come+ for &esus >hrist hath called
/LL(
=et let not those come ,ho are ,ithout a heart they are e)cused for there must
%e a heart %efore there can %e love( 1ut ,ho is ,ithout a heart? 6 come+ then+give this heart to God and here learn ho, to ma0e the donation(
$( /ll ,ho are desirous of prayer+ may easily pray+ ena%led %y those ordinary
graces and gifts of the *oly Spirit ,hich are common to all men(
P</=E< is the 0ey to perfection+ and the sovereign good it is the means of
delivering us from every vice+ and o%taining us every virtue for the one greatmeans of %ecoming perfect+ is to ,al0 in the presence of God( *e himself hath
said+ "Walk before me, and be thou perfect." 2Gen( )vii( !(4 It is %y prayer alone that
,e are %rought into his presence+ and maintained in it ,ithout interruption(
3( =ou must+ then+ learn a species of prayer ,hich may %e e)ercised at all times
,hich does not o%struct out,ard employments ,hich may %e e.ually practised
%y princes+ 0ings+ prelates+ priests and magistrates+ soldiers and children+tradesmen+ la%orers+ ,omen+ and sic0 persons it is not the prayer of the head+
%ut 6F T*E *E/<T(
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It is not a prayer of the understanding alone+ for the mind of man is so limited
in its operations that it can have %ut one o%-ect at a time %ut it is the P</=E< 6F T*E
*E/<T ,hich is not interrupted %y the e)ercises of reason( @othing can interrupt
this prayer %ut disordered affections and ,hen once ,e have en-oyed God+ andthe s,eetness of his love+ ,e shall find it impossi%le to relish aught %ut himself(
#( @othing is so easily o%tained as the possession and en-oyment of God( *e ismore present to us than ,e are to ourselves( *e is more desirous of giving
*imself to us than ,e are to possess *im ,e only need to 0no, ho, to see0
*im+ and the ,ay is easier and more natural to us than %reathing(
/h; ye ,ho thin0 yourselves so dull and fit for nothing+ %y prayer you may live
on God himself ,ith less difficulty or interruption than you live on the vital air(
'ill it not then %e highly sinful to neglect prayer? 1ut dou%tless you ,ill not+,hen you have learnt the method+ ,hich is the easiest in the ,orld(
C H A P T E R II"
THE FIRST DEGREE OF PRAYER1 MEDITATION"
T*E<E are t,o ,ays of introducing a soul into prayer+ ,hich should %e pursued
for some time the one is meditation, the other is readin! accompanied by
meditation.
Meditative readin! is the choosing some important practical or speculative
truth+ al,ays preferring the practical+ and proceeding thus7 ,hatever truth you
have chosen+ read only a small portion of it+ endeavoring to taste and digest it+to e)tract the essence and su%stance of it+ and proceed no farther ,hile any
savor or relish remains in the passage7 then ta0e up your %oo0 again+ and proceed as %efore+ seldom reading more than half a page at a time(
It is not the .uantity that is read+ %ut the manner of reading+ that yields us
profit( Those ,ho read fast+ reap no more advantage+ than a %ee ,ould %y onlys0imming over the surface of the flo,er+ instead of ,aiting to penetrate into it+
and e)tract its s,eets( Much reading is rather for scholastic su%-ects+ than
divine truths to receive profit from spiritual %oo0s+ ,e must read as I have
descri%ed and I am certain that if that method ,ere pursued+ ,e should %ecome
gradually ha%ituated to prayer %y our reading+ and more fully disposed for itse)ercise(
8( Meditation+ ,hich is the other method+ is to %e practised at an appropriated
season+ and not in the time of reading( I %elieve that the %est manner of
meditating is as follo,s7
'hen %y an act of lively faith+ you are placed in the presence of
God+ read some truth ,herein there is su%stance pause gently
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thereon+ not to employ the reason+ %ut merely to fi) the mind
o%serving that the principal e)ercise should ever %e the presence of
God+ and that the su%-ect+ therefore+ should rather serve to stay the
mind+ than e)ercise it in reasoning(
Then let a lively faith in God immediately present in our inmost
souls, produce an eager sin0ing into ourselves+ restraining all our senses from ,andering a%road7 this serves to e)tricate us+ in the
first instance+ from numerous distractions+ to remove us far from
e)ternal o%-ects+ and to %ring us nigh to God+ ,ho is only to %efound in our inmost centre+ ,hich is the Holy of Holies ,herein he
d,ells( *e has even promised to come and ma0e his a%ode ,ith
him that doeth his ,ill( 2 )ohn )iv( 8$(4 St( /ugustine %lames himself for the time he had lost in not having sought God+ from the first+ in this
manner of prayer(
$( 'hen ,e are thus fully entered into ourselves+ and ,armly penetrated
throughout ,ith a lively sense of the Divine presence ,hen the senses are allrecollected+ and ,ithdra,n from the circumference to the centre+ and the soul is
s,eetly and silently employed on the truths ,e have read+ not in reasoning+ %ut
in feeding thereon+ and animating the ,ill %y affection+ rather than fatiguing theunderstanding %y study ,hen+ I say+ the affections are in this state+ 2,hich+
ho,ever difficult it may appear at first+ is+ as I shall hereafter sho,+ easily
attaina%le+4 ,e must allo, them sweetly to repose, and+ as it ,ere+ swallow,hat they have tasted(
For as a person may en-oy the flavor of the finest viands in mastication+ yetreceive no nourishment from them+ if he does not cease the action and s,allo,
the food so ,hen our affections are en0indled+ if ,e endeavor to stir them up
yet more+ ,e e)tinguish the flame+ and the soul is deprived of its nourishment('e should+ therefore+ in a repose of love, full of respect and confidence+
s,allo, the %lessed food ,e have received( This method is highly necessary+
and ,ill advance the soul more in a short time+ than any other in years(
3( 1ut as I have said that our direct and principal e)ercise should consist in the
contemplation of the *ivine presence, ,e should %e e)ceedingly diligent in
recallin! our dissipated senses, as the most easy method of overcoming
distractions for a direct contest only serves to irritate and augment them,hereas+ %y sin0ing ,ithin+ under a vie, %y faith+ of a present God+ and simply
recollecting ourselves+ ,e ,age insensi%ly a very successful+ though indirect
,ar ,ith them(
It is proper here to caution %eginners against ,andering from truth to truth+ and
from su%-ect to su%-ect the right ,ay to penetrate every divine truth+ to en-oyits full relish+ and to imprint it on the heart+ is to d,ell upon it ,hilst its savor
continues(
Though recollection is difficult in the %eginning+ from the ha%it the soul hasac.uired of %eing al,ays a%road+ yet+ ,hen %y the violence it has done itself+ it
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%ecomes a little accustomed to it+ the process is soon rendered perfectly easy
and this partly from the force of ha%it+ and partly %ecause God+ ,hose one ,ill
to,ards his creatures is to communicate himself to them+ imparts a%undant
grace+ and an e)perimental en-oyment of his presence+ ,hich very muchfacilitate it(
C H A P T E R III"
THE METHOD OF PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT READ"
T*6SE ,ho cannot read %oo0s+ are not+ on that account+ e)cluded from prayer(
The great %oo0 ,hich teaches all things+ and ,hich is ,ritten all over+ ,ithin
and ,ithout+ is &esus >hrist himself(
The method they should practice is this7 they should first learn this fundamental
truth+ that "the kin!dom of God is within them," 2 $uke )vii( 8!+4 and that it must %e
sought there only(
It is as incum%ent on the clergy to instruct their parishioners in prayer+ as in
their catechism( It is true they tell them the end of their creation %ut they do
not give them sufficient instructions ho, they may attain it(
They should %e taught to %egin %y an act of profound adoration and annihilation
%efore God+ and closing the corporeal eyes+ endeavor to open those of the soul
they should then collect themselves in,ardly+ and %y a lively faith in God+ asd,elling ,ithin them+ pierce into the divine presence not suffering the senses
to ,ander a%road+ %ut holding them as much as may %e in su%-ection(
8( They should then repeat the LordAs prayer in their native tongue pondering alittle upon the meaning of the ,ords+ and the infinite ,illingness of that God
,ho d,ells ,ithin them to %ecome+ indeed+ "their father(" In this state let them pour out their ,ants %efore him and ,hen they have pronounced the ,ord+
"father+" remain a fe, moments in a reverential silence+ ,aiting to have the ,ill
of this their heavenly Father made manifest to them(
/gain+ the >hristian+ %eholding himself in the state of a fee%le child+ soiled and
sorely %ruised %y repeated falls+ destitute of strength to stand+ or of po,er to
cleanse himself+ should lay his deplora%le situation open to his FatherAs vie, in
hum%le confusion occasionally intermingling a ,ord or t,o of love and grief+
and then again sin0ing into silence %efore *im( Then+ continuing the LordAs prayer+ let him %eseech this Bing of Glory to reign in him+ a%andoning himself
to God+ that *e may do it+ and ac0no,ledging his right to rule over him(
If they feel an inclination to peace and silence+ let them not continue the ,ords
of the prayer so long as this sensation holds and ,hen it su%sides+ let them goon ,ith the second petition+ "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven+" upon
,hich let these hum%le supplicants %eseech God to accomplish in them+ and %y
them+ all his ,ill+ and let them surrender their hearts and freedom into his
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hands+ to %e disposed of as *e pleases( 'hen they find that the ,ill should %e
employed in loving+ they ,ill desire to love+ and ,ill implore *im for his L6CE
%ut all this ,ill ta0e place s,eetly and peacefully7 and so of the rest of the
prayer+ in ,hich the clergy may instruct them(
1ut they should not %urthen themselves ,ith fre.uent repetitions of set forms+
or studied prayers for the LordAs prayer once repeated as I have -ust descri%ed+,ill produce a%undant fruit(
$( /t other times+ they may place themselves as sheep %efore their Shepherd+
loo0ing up to *im for their true food7 6 divine Shepherd+ Thou feedest thyfloc0 ,ith Thyself+ and art indeed their daily %read( They may also represent to
him the necessities of their families7 %ut let all %e done from this principal and
one great vie, of faith+ that God is ,ithin them(
/ll our imaginations of God amount to nothing a lively faith in his presence is
sufficient( For ,e must not form any image of the Deity+ though ,e may of
&esus >hrist+ %eholding him in his %irth+ or his crucifi)ion+ or in some other state or mystery+ provided the soul al,ays see0s *im in its o,n centre(
6n other occasions+ ,e may loo0 to him as a physician+ and present for hishealing virtue all our maladies %ut al,ays ,ithout pertur%ation+ and ,ith
pauses from time to time+ that the silence+ %eing mingled ,ith action+ may %e
gradually e)tended+ and our o,n e)ertion lessened till at length+ %y continuallyyielding to GodAs operations+ *e gains the complete ascendancy+ as shall %e
hereafter e)plained(
3( 'hen the divine presence is granted us+ and ,e gradually %egin to relish
silence and repose+ this eperimental en-oyment of the presence of God introduces the soul into the second degree of prayer+ ,hich+ %y proceeding in
the manner I have descri%ed+ is attaina%le as ,ell %y the illiterate as %y thelearned some privileged souls+ indeed+ are favored ,ith it even from the
%eginning(
C H A P T E R IV"
THE PRAYER OF SIMPLICITY"
S6ME call the second degree of prayer ontemplation, 'he prayer of /aith and
Stillness, and others call it 'he prayer of Simplicity. I shall here use this latter appellation+ as %eing more -ust than that of contemplation+ ,hich implies a
more advanced state than that I am no, treating of(
'hen the soul has %een for some time e)ercised in the ,ay I have mentioned+ it
gradually finds that it is ena%led to approach God ,ith facility that recollectionis attended ,ith much less difficulty+ and that prayer %ecomes easy+ s,eet+ and
delightful7 it recogni9es that this is the true ,ay of finding God+ and feels that
"his name is as ointment poured forth." 2ant ( i( $(4 The method must no, %e
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altered+ and that ,hich I descri%e must %e pursued ,ith courage and fidelity+
,ithout %eing distur%ed at the difficulties ,e may encounter in the ,ay(
8( First+ as soon as the soul %y faith places itself in the presence of God+ and
%ecomes recollected %efore *im+ let it remain thus for a little time in respectful
silence(
1ut if+ at the %eginning+ in forming the act of faith+ it feels some little pleasing
sense of the Divine presence+ let it remain there ,ithout %eing trou%led for a
su%-ect+ and proceed no farther+ %ut carefully cherish this sensation ,hile it
continues( 'hen it a%ates+ it may e)cite the ,ill %y some tender affection andif+ %y the first moving thereof+ it finds itself reinstated in s,eet peace+ let it
there remain the fire must %e gently fanned+ %ut as soon as it is 0indled+ ,e
must cease our efforts+ lest ,e e)tinguish it %y our activity(
$( I ,ould ,armly recommend to all+ never to finish prayer ,ithout remaining
some little time after,ard in a respectful silence( It is also of the greatest
importance for the soul to go to prayer ,ith courage+ and to %ring ,ith it such a pure and disinterested love+ as see0s nothing from God+ %ut to please *im+ and
to do his ,ill for a servant ,ho only proportions his diligence to his hope of re,ard+ is un,orthy of any recompense( Go then to prayer+ not desiring to
en-oy spiritual delights+ %ut to %e -ust as it pleases God this ,ill preserve your
spirit tran.uil in aridities as ,ell as in consolation+ and prevent your %eing
surprised at the apparent repulses or a%sence of God(
C H A P T E R V"
ARIDITIES TO !E !ORNE IN LOVE"
T*6G* God has no other desire than to impart *imself to the loving soul that
see0s *im+ yet *e fre.uently conceals *imself from it+ that it may %e rousedfrom sloth+ and impelled to see0 *im ,ith fidelity and love( 1ut ,ith ,hat
a%undant goodness does *e recompense the faithfulness of his %eloved; /nd
ho, often are these apparent ,ithdra,ings of *imself succeeded %y the
caresses of love;
/t these seasons ,e are apt to %elieve that it proves our fidelity+ and evinces a
greater ardor of affection to see0 *im %y an e)ertion of our o,n strength andactivity or that such a course ,ill induce *im the more speedily to revisit us(
@o+ dear souls+ %elieve me+ this is not the %est ,ay in this degree of prayer ,ith
patient love+ ,ith self:a%asement and humiliation+ ,ith the reiterated %reathingsof an ardent %ut peaceful affection+ and ,ith silence full of veneration+ you
must a,ait the return of the 1eloved(
8( Thus only can you demonstrate that it is * IMSELF alone+ and his good pleasure+that you see0 and not the selfish delights of your o,n sensations in loving
*im( *ence it is said 2 0ccles( ii( 8+$47 "1e not impatient in the time of dryness and
obscurity suffer the suspensions and delays of the consolations of God cleave
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unto him, and wait upon him patiently, that thy life may increase and be
renewed."
1e patient in prayer+ though during your ,hole lifetime you should do nothing
else than ,ait the return of the 1eloved in a spirit of humiliation+ a%andonment+
contentment+ and resignation( Most e)cellent prayer; and it may %e
intermingled ,ith the sighings of plaintive love; This conduct indeed is most pleasing to the heart of God+ and ,ill+ a%ove all others+ compel his return(
C H A P T E R VI"
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF)A!ANDONMENT"
*E<E ,e must %egin to abandon and give up our ,hole e)istence to God+ fromthe strong and positive conviction+ that the occurrences of every moment result
from his immediate ,ill and permission+ and are -ust such as our state re.uires(
This conviction ,ill ma0e us content ,ith everything and cause us to regard all
that happens+ not from the side of the creature+ %ut from that of God(
1ut+ dearly %eloved+ ,hoever you are ,ho sincerely ,ish to give yourselves up
to God+ I con-ure you+ that after having once made the donation+ you ta0e notyourselves %ac0 again remem%er+ a gift once presented+ is no longer at the
disposal of the giver(
8( 2bandonment is a matter of the greatest importance in our progress it is the0ey to the inner court so that he ,ho 0no,s truly ho, to a%andon himself+ ,ill
soon %ecome perfect( 'e must therefore continue steadfast and immova%le
therein+ ,ithout listening to the voice of natural reason( Great faith produces
great a%andonment ,e must confide in God+ "hopin! a!ainst hope."2 #om( iv( !(4
$( 2bandonment is the casting off all selfish care+ that ,e may %e altogether atthe divine disposal( /ll >hristians are e)horted to a%andonment for it is said to
all "'ake no thou!ht for the morrow for your Heavenly /ather knoweth that ye
have need of all these thin!s." 2 Matt ( vi( $8:$3(4 "(n all thy ways acknowled!e him,
and he shall direct thy paths." 2 %rov( iii( (4 "ommit thy works unto the $ord and thy thou!hts shall be established." 2 %rov( )vi( $(4 "ommit thy way unto the $ord
trust also in Him and He will brin! it to pass." 2 %salm )))vii( #(4
6ur a%andonment+ then+ should %e+ %oth in respect to e)ternal and internal
things+ an a%solute giving up of all our concerns into the hands of God+forgetting ourselves and thin0ing only of *im %y ,hich the heart ,ill remain
al,ays disengaged+ free+ and at peace(
3( It is practised %y continually losing our o,n ,ill in the ,ill of God
renouncing every private inclination as soon as it arises+ ho,ever good it mayappear+ that ,e may stand in indifference ,ith respect to ourselves+ and only
,ill ,hat God has ,illed from all eternity resigning ourselves in all things+
,hether for soul or %ody+ for time or eternity forgetting the past+ leaving the
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future to Providence+ and devoting the present to God satisfied ,ith the present
moment+ ,hich %rings ,ith it GodAs eternal order in reference to us+ and is as
infalli%le a declaration of his ,ill+ as it is inevita%le and common to all
attri%uting nothing that %efalls us to the creature+ %ut regarding all things inGod+ and loo0ing upon all+ e)cepting only our sins+ as infalli%ly proceeding
from *im(
Surrender yourselves then to %e led and disposed of -ust as God pleases+ ,ith
respect %oth to your out,ard and in,ard state(
C H A P T E R VII"
S#FFERING ) A SO#RCE OF CONSOLATION"
1E patient under all the sufferings God sends if your love to *im %e pure+ you
,ill not see0 *im less on >alvary+ than on Ta%or and surely+ *e should %e as
much loved on that as on this+ since it ,as on >alvary that he made the greatest
display of love(
1e not li0e those ,ho give themselves to *im at one season+ only to ,ithdra,
from *im at another( They give themselves only to %e caressed+ and ,restthemselves %ac0 again+ ,hen they are crucified or at least turn for consolation
to the creature(
8( @o+ %eloved souls+ you ,ill not find consolation in aught %ut in the love of the cross+ and in total a%andonment ,ho savoreth not the cross+ savoreth not
the things that %e of God( 2See Matt ( )vi( 8$(4 It is impossi%le to love God ,ithout
loving the cross and a heart that savors the cross+ finds the %itterest things to %e
s,eet "'o the hun!ry soul every bitter thin! is sweet" 2 %rov( ))vii( 54
%ecause itfinds itself hungering for God+ in proportion as it is hungering for the cross(
God gives us the cross+ and the cross gives us God(
'e may %e assured that there is an internal advancement+ ,hen there is
progress in the ,ay of the cross a%andonment and the cross go hand in hand
together(
$( /s soon as anything is presented in the form of suffering+ and you feel a
repugnance+ resign yourself immediately to God ,ith respect to it+ and give
yourself up to *im in sacrifice7 you ,ill then find+ that ,hen the cross arrives+
it ,ill not %e so very %urthensome+ %ecause you have yourself desired it( This+ho,ever does not prevent you from feeling its ,eight+ as some have imagined
for ,hen ,e do not feel the cross+ ,e do not suffer( / sensi%ility to suffering isone of the principal parts of suffering itself( &esus >hrist himself chose to
endure its utmost rigors( 'e often %ear the cross in ,ea0ness+ at other times in
strength all should %e ali0e to us in the ,ill of God(
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C H A P T E R VIII"
ON MYSTERIES"
IT ,ill %e o%-ected+ that+ %y this method+ ,e shall have no mysteries imprinted
on our minds %ut so far is this from %eing the case+ that it is the peculiar means
of imparting them to the soul( &esus >hrist+ to ,hom ,e are a%andoned+ and,hom ,e follo, as the ,ay+ ,hom ,e hear as the truth+ and ,ho animates us
as the life 2 )ohn )iv( +4 in imprinting himself on the soul+ impresses there the
characters of his different states( To %ear all the states of &esus >hrist+ is a
much greater thing+ than merely to meditate a%out them( St( Paul %ore in his %ody the states of &esus >hrist "( bear in my body," says he+ "the marks of the
$ord )esus" 2Gal ( vi( !54 %ut he does not say that he reasoned thereon(
8( In this state of a%andonment &esus >hrist fre.uently communicates some
peculiar vie,s+ or revelations of his states7 these ,e should than0fully accept+
and dispose ourselves for ,hat appears to %e his ,ill receiving e.ually
,hatever frame *e may %esto,+ and having no other choice+ %ut that of ardently reaching after *im+ of d,elling ever ,ith *im+ and of sin0ing into
nothingness %efore *im+ and accepting indiscriminately all his gifts+ ,hether dar0ness or illumination+ fecundity or %arrenness+ ,ea0ness or strength+
s,eetness or %itterness+ temptations+ distractions+ pain+ ,eariness+ or
uncertainty and none of all these should+ for one moment+ retard our course(
$( God engages some+ for ,hole years+ in the contemplation and en-oyment of a
single mystery+ the simple vie, or contemplation of ,hich recollects the soul
let them %e faithful to it %ut as soon as God is pleased to ,ithdra, this vie,
from the soul+ let it freely yield to the deprivation( Some are very uneasy attheir ina%ility to meditate on certain mysteries %ut ,ithout reason+ since an
affectionate attachment to God includes in itself every species of devotion+ and
,hoever is calmly united to God alone+ is+ indeed+ most e)cellently andeffectually applied to every divine mystery( 'hoever loves God loves all that
appertains to him(
C H A P T E R I2"
ON VIRT#E"
IT is thus that ,e ac.uire virtue ,ith facility and certainty for as God is the
principle of all virtue+ ,e inherit all in the possession of *imself and in
proportion as ,e approach to,ard his possession+ in li0e proportion do ,ereceive the most eminent virtues( For all virtue is %ut as a mas0+ an outside
appearance muta%le as our garments+ if it %e not %esto,ed from ,ithin then+
indeed+ it is genuine+ essential+ and permanent7 "'he 3in!4s dau!hter is all
!lorious within," says David( 2 %salm )lv( !$(4 These souls+ a%ove all others+ practice
virtue in the most eminent degree+ though they advert not to any particular
virtue( God+ to ,hom they are united+ leads them to the most e)tensive practice
of it *e is e)ceedingly -ealous over them+ and permits them not the least
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pleasure(
8( 'hat a hungering for sufferings have those souls+ ,ho thus glo, ,ith divinelove; *o, ,ould they precipitate themselves into e)cessive austerities+ ,ere
they permitted to pursue their o,n inclinations; They thin0 of nought save ho,
they may please their 1eloved and they %egin to neglect and forget themselves
and as their love to God increases+ so do self:detestation and disregard of thecreature(
$( 6 ,ere this simple method once ac.uired+ a ,ay so suited to all+ to the dull
and ignorant as ,ell as to the most learned+ ho, easily ,ould the ,hole churchof God %e reformed; L6CE only is re.uired7 "$ove," says St( /ugustine+ "and
then do what you please." For ,hen ,e truly love+ ,e cannot have so much as a
,ill to do anything that might offend the o%-ect of our affections(
C H A P T E R 2"
MORTIFICATION M#ST !E INTERIO#R"
I S/= further+ that+ in any other ,ay+ it is ne)t to impossi%le to ac.uire a perfect
mortification of the senses and passions(
The reason is o%vious7 the soul gives vigor and energy to the senses+ and the
senses raise and stimulate the passions a dead %ody has neither sensations nor
passions+ %ecause its connection ,ith the soul is dissolved( /ll endeavorsmerely to rectify the e)terior impel the soul yet farther out,ard into that a%out
,hich it is so ,armly and 9ealously engaged( Its po,ers are diffused and
scattered a%road for+ its ,hole attention %eing immediately directed to
austerities and other e)ternals+ it thus invigorates those very senses it is aimingto su%due( For the senses have no other spring ,hence to derive their vigor
than the application of the soul to themselves+ the degree of their life andactivity %eing proportioned to the degree of attention ,hich the soul %esto,s
upon them( This life of the senses stirs up and provo0es the passions+ instead of
suppressing or su%duing them austerities may indeed enfee%le the %ody+ %ut for
the reasons -ust mentioned+ can never ta0e off the 0eenness of the senses+ nor lessen their activity(
8( The only method of effecting this+ is in,ard recollection+ %y ,hich the soul isturned ,holly and altogether in,ard+ to possess a present God( If it direct all its
vigor and energy ,ithin+ this simple act separates it from the senses+ and+
employing all its po,ers internally+ it renders them faint and the nearer it dra,sto God+ the farther is it separated from self( *ence it is+ that those in ,hom the
attractions of grace are very po,erful+ find the out,ard man altogether ,ea0
and fee%le+ and even lia%le to faintings(
$( I do not mean %y this+ to discourage mortification for it should ever
accompany prayer+ according to the strength and state of the person+ or as
o%edience demands( 1ut I say+ that mortification should not %e our principal
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e)ercise nor should ,e prescri%e to ourselves such and such austerities+ %ut
simply follo,ing the internal attractions of grace+ and %eing occupied ,ith the
divine presence+ ,ithout thin0ing particularly on mortification+ God ,ill ena%le
us to perform every species of it( *e gives those ,ho a%ide faithful to their a%andonment to *im+ no rela)ation until *e has su%dued everything in them
that remains to %e mortified(
'e have only+ then+ to continue steadfast in the utmost attention to God+ and all
things ,ill %e perfectly done( /ll are not capa%le of out,ard austerities+ %ut all
are capa%le of this( In the mortification of the eye and ear+ ,hich continuallysupply the %usy imagination ,ith ne, su%-ects+ there is little danger of falling
into e)cess %ut God ,ill teach us this also+ and ,e have only to follo, his
Spirit(
3( The soul has a dou%le advantage %y proceeding thus for+ in ,ithdra,ing
from out,ard o%-ects+ it constantly dra,s nearer to God and %esides the secret
sustaining and preserving po,er and virtue ,hich it receives+ it is farther
removed from sin the nearer it comes to *im so that its conversion %ecomesfirmly esta%lished as a matter of ha%it(
C H A P T E R 2I"
ON PERFECT CONVERSION"
"'urn ye unto Him from whom the children of (srael have so deeply revolted."
2 (sa( )))i( (4 >onversion is nothing more than turning from the creature in order to
return to God(
It is not perfect 2ho,ever good and essential to salvation4 ,hen it consistssimply in turning from sin to grace( To %e complete+ it should ta0e place from
,ithout in,ardly(
'hen the soul is once turned to,ard God+ it finds a ,onderful facility in
continuing steadfast in conversion and the longer it remains thus converted+ the
nearer it approaches and the more firmly it adheres to God and the nearer itdra,s to *im+ it is of necessity the farther removed from the creature+ ,hich is
so contrary to *im so that it is so effectually esta%lished in conversion+ that the
state %ecomes ha%itual+ and as it ,ere natural(
@o,+ ,e must not suppose that this is effected %y a violent e)ertion of its o,n po,ers for it is not capa%le of+ nor should it attempt any other co:operation
,ith divine grace+ than that of endeavoring to ,ithdra, itself from e)ternalo%-ects+ and to turn in,ards after ,hich it has nothing farther to do+ than to
continue firm in its adherence to God(
8( G6D has an attractive virtue ,hich dra,s the soul more and more po,erfully
to *imself+ and in attracting+ *e purifies -ust as it is ,ith a gross vapor e)haled
%y the sun+ ,hich+ as it gradually ascends+ is rarified and rendered pure the
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vapor+ indeed+ contri%utes to its ascent only %y its passivity %ut the soul co:
operates freely and voluntarily(
This 0ind of introversion is very easy and advances the soul naturally+ and
,ithout effort+ %ecause God is our centre( The centre al,ays e)erts a very
po,erful attractive virtue and the more spiritual and e)alted it is+ the more
violent and irresisti%le are its attractions(
$( 1ut %esides the attracting virtue of the centre+ there is+ in every creature+ a
stron! tendency to reunion ,ith its centre+ ,hich is vigorous and active in
proportion to the spirituality and perfection of the su%-ect(
/s soon as anything is turned to,ards its centre+ it is precipitated to,ards it
,ith e)treme rapidity+ unless it %e ,ithheld %y some invinci%le o%stacle( /stone held in the hand is no sooner disengaged than %y its o,n ,eight it falls to
the earth as to its centre so also ,ater and fire+ ,hen uno%structed+ flo,
incessantly to,ards their centre( @o,+ ,hen the soul %y its efforts to recollect
itself+ is %rought into the influence of the central tendency+ it falls gradually+,ithout any other force than the ,eight of love+ into its proper centre and the
more passive and tran.uil it remains+ and the freer from self:motion+ the morerapidly it advances+ %ecause the energy of the central attractive virtue is
uno%structed+ and has full li%erty for action(
3( /ll our care should therefore %e directed to,ards ac.uiring the greatestdegree of in,ard recollection nor should ,e %e discouraged %y the difficulties
,e encounter in this e)ercise+ ,hich ,ill soon %e recompensed on the part of
God+ %y such a%undant supplies of grace+ as ,ill render it perfectly easy+
provided ,e are faithful in mee0ly withdrawin! our hearts from out,arddistractions and occupations+ and returning to our centre+ ,ith affections full of
tenderness and serenity( 'hen at any time the passions are tur%ulent+ a gentle
retreat in,ards to a present God+ easily deadens them any other ,ay of opposing rather irritates than appeases them(
C H A P T E R 2II"
PRAYER OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD"
T*E soul that is faithful in the e)ercise of love and adherence to God+ as a%ovedescri%ed+ is astonished to feel *im gradually ta0ing possession of its ,hole
%eing it no, en-oys a continual sense of that presence ,hich is %ecome as it
,ere natural to it and this+ as ,ell as prayer+ %ecomes a matter of ha%it( It feelsan unusual serenity gradually diffusing itself over all its faculties( Silence no,
constitutes its ,hole prayer ,hilst God communicates an infused love+ ,hich
is the %eginning of ineffa%le %lessedness(
6 that I ,ere permitted to pursue this su%-ect+ and descri%e some degrees of the
endless progression of su%se.uent states? 1ut I no, ,rite only for %eginners
and shall therefore proceed no farther+ %ut ,ait our LordAs time for developing
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,hat may %e applica%le to every state(
8( 'e must+ ho,ever+ urge it as a matter of the highest import+ to cease fromself:action and self:e)ertion+ that God himself may act alone7 *e says %y the
mouth of his prophet David+ "1e still and know that ( am God." 2 %salm )lvi( !(4 1ut
the creature is so infatuated ,ith love and attachment to its o,n ,or0ing+ that it
does not %elieve that it ,or0s at all unless it can feel+ 0no,+ and distinguish allits operations( It is ignorant that its ina%ility minutely to o%serve the manner of
its motion+ is occasioned %y the s,iftness of its progress and that the
operations of God+ a%ounding more and more+ a%sor% those of the creature -ustas ,e see that the stars shine %rightly %efore the sun rises+ %ut gradually vanish
as his light advances+ and %ecome invisi%le+ not from ,ant of light in
themselves+ %ut from the e)cess of it in him(
The case is similar here for there is a strong and universal light ,hich a%sor%s
all the little distinct lights of the soul they gro, faint and disappear under its
po,erful influence+ and self:activity is no, no longer distinguisha%le(
$( Those greatly err+ ,ho accuse this prayer of inactivity+ a charge that can only
arise from ine)perience( 6; if they ,ould %ut ma0e some efforts to,ards theattainment of it+ they ,ould soon %ecome full of light and 0no,ledge in relation
to it(
This appearance of inaction is+ indeed+ not the conse.uence of sterility+ %ut of a%undance+ as ,ill %e clearly perceived %y the e)perienced soul+ ,ho ,ill
recogni9e that the silence is full and unctuous %y reason of plenty(
3( There are t,o 0inds of people that 0eep silence the one %ecause they have
nothing to say+ the other %ecause they have too much7 the latter is the case inthis state silence is occasioned %y e)cess and not %y defect(
To %e dro,ned+ and to die of thirst+ are deaths ,idely different yet ,ater may
%e said to %e the cause of %oth a%undance destroys in one case+ and ,ant in the
other( So here the fullness of grace stills the activity of self and therefore it is
of the utmost importance to remain as silent as possi%le(
The infant hanging at its motherAs %reast+ is a lively illustration of our su%-ect it
%egins to dra, the mil0+ %y moving its little lips %ut ,hen its nourishmentflo,s a%undantly+ it is content to s,allo, ,ithout effort %y any other course it
,ould only hurt itself+ spill the mil0+ and %e o%liged to .uit the %reast(
'e must act in li0e manner in the %eginning of prayer+ %y moving the lips of theaffections %ut as soon as the mil0 of divine grace flo,s freely+ ,e have nothing
to do+ %ut+ in stillness+ s,eetly to im%i%e it+ and ,hen it ceases to flo,+ again
stir up the affections as the infant moves its lips( 'hoever acts other,ise+cannot ma0e the %est use of this grace+ ,hich is %esto,ed to allure the soul into
the repose of Love+ and not to force it into the multiplicity of self(
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#( 1ut ,hat %ecomes of the %a%e that thus gently and ,ithout e)ertion+ drin0s in
the mil0? 'ho ,ould %elieve that it could thus receive nourishment? =et the
more peacefully it feeds+ the %etter it thrives( 'hat+ I say+ %ecomes of this
infant? It drops asleep on its motherAs %osom( So the soul that is tran.uil and peaceful in prayer+ sin0s fre.uently into a mystic slum%er+ ,herein all its
po,ers are at rest+ till it is ,holly fitted for that state+ of ,hich it en-oys these
transient anticipations( =ou see that in this process the soul is led naturally+,ithout trou%le+ effort+ art or study(
The interior is not a strong hold+ to %e ta0en %y storm and violence %ut a0ingdom of peace+ ,hich is to %e gained only %y love( If any ,ill thus pursue
the little path I have pointed out+ it ,ill lead them to infused prayer. God
demands nothing e)traordinary nor too difficult on the contrary+ *e is greatly pleased %y a simple and child:li0e conduct(
( The most su%lime attainments in religion+ are those ,hich are easiest
reached the most necessary ordinances are the least difficult( It is thus also in
natural things if you ,ould reach the sea+ em%ar0 on a river+ and you ,ill %econveyed to it insensi%ly and ,ithout e)ertion( 'ould you go to God+ follo,
this s,eet and simple path+ and you ,ill arrive at the desired o%-ect+ ,ith an
ease and e)pedition that ,ill ama9e you(
6 that you ,ould %ut once ma0e the trial; ho, soon ,ould you find that all I
have said is too little+ and that your o,n e)perience ,ill carry you infinitely %eyond it; 'hat is it you fear? 'hy do you not instantly cast yourself into the
arms of L6CE+ ,ho only e)tended them on the cross that *e might em%race
you? 'hat ris0 do you run in depending solely on God+ and a%andoningyourself ,holly to *im? /h; he ,ill not deceive you+ unless %y %esto,ing an
a%undance %eyond your highest hopes %ut those ,ho e)pect all from
themselves+ may hear this re%u0e of God %y his prophet Isaiah+ "Ye havewearied yourselves in the multiplicity of your ways, and have not said, let us
rest in peace." 2 (sa( lvii( !+ Culgate(4
C H A P T E R 2III"
ON REST !EFORE GOD"
T*E S6L advanced thus far+ has no need of any other preparation than its.uietude7 for no, the presence of God+ during the day+ ,hich is the great effect+
or rather continuation of prayer+ %egins to %e infused, and almost without
intermission. The soul certainly en-oys transcendent %lessedness+ and finds thatGod is more intimately present to it than it is to itself(
The only ,ay to find him is %y introversion( @o sooner do the %odily eyesclose+ than the soul is ,rapt in prayer7 it is ama9ed at so great a %lessing+ and
en-oys an internal converse+ ,hich e)ternal matters cannot interrupt(
8( The same may %e said of this species of prayer+ that is said of ,isdom7 "all
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!ood thin!s come to!ether with her." 2Wisdom vii( !!(4 For virtues flo, from this soul
into e)ercise ,ith so much s,eetness and facility+ that they appear natural to it+
and the living spring ,ithin %rea0s forth a%undantly into a facility for all
goodness+ and an insensi%ility to all evil(
$( Let it then remain faithful in this state and %e,are of choosing or see0ing
any other disposition ,hatever than this simple rest+ as a preparative either toconfession or communion+ to action or prayer for its sole %usiness is to suffer
itself to %e filled ,ith this divine effusion( I ,ould not %e understood to spea0
of the preparations necessary for ordinances+ %ut of the most perfect interior disposition in ,hich they can %e received(
C H A P T E R 2IV"
ON INTERIO#R SILENCE"
"'he $ord is in his holy temple let all the earth keep silence before him." 2 Hab(
ii( 8(4 The reason ,hy in,ard silence is so indispensa%le+ is+ %ecause the 'ordis essential and eternal+ and necessarily re.uires dispositions in the soul in some
degree correspondent to *is nature+ as a capacity for the reception of *imself(
*earing is a sense formed to receive sounds+ and is rather passive than active+admitting+ %ut not communicating sensation and if ,e ,ould hear+ ,e must
lend the ear for that purpose( >hrist+ the eternal 'ord+ ,ho must %e
communicated to the soul to give it ne, life+ re.uires the most intense attentionto his voice+ ,hen *e ,ould spea0 ,ithin us(
8( *ence it is so fre.uently en-oined upon us in sacred ,rit+ to listen and %eattentive to the voice of God I .uote a fe, of the numerous e)hortations to this
effect7 "Hearken unto me, my people, and !ive ear unto me, 5 my nation+"2 (sa( li(
3+4 and again "Hear me, all ye whom ( carry in my bosom, and bear within my
bowels6" 2 (sa( )lvi( $+4 and further %y the Psalmist+ "Hearken, 5 dau!hter+ and consider, and incline thine ear for!et also thine own people, and thy father4s
house so shall the kin! !reatly desire thy beauty." 2Ps( )lv( !+!!(4
'e must for!et ourselves, and all self:interest+ and listen and %e attentive toGod these t,o simple actions+ or rather passive dispositions+ produce the love
of that %eauty+ ,hich *e himself communicates(
$( 6ut,ard silence is very re.uisite for the cultivation and improvement of
in,ard and+ indeed+ it is impossi%le ,e should %ecome truly interior+ ,ithout
loving silence and retirement( God saith %y the mouth of his prophet+ "( will lead her into solitude, and there will ( speak to her heart 2 Hos( ii( !3+ Culg(4 and
un.uestiona%ly the %eing internally engaged ,ith God is ,holly incompati%le
,ith %eing e)ternally %usied a%out a thousand trifles(
'hen+ through ,ea0ness+ ,e %ecome as it ,ere uncentered+ ,e must
immediately turn again in,ard and this process ,e must repeat as often as our
distractions recur( It is a small matter to %e devout and recollected for an hour
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or half hour+ if the unction and spirit of prayer do not continue ,ith us during
the ,hole day(
C H A P T E R 2V"
GOD HIMSELF E2AMINES #S"
SELF:E/MI@/TI6@ should al,ays precede confession+ %ut the manner of it should
%e conforma%le to the state of the soul( The %usiness of those that are advanced
to the degree of ,hich ,e no, treat+ is to lay their ,hole souls open %eforeGod+ ,ho ,ill not fail to enlighten them+ and ena%le them to see the peculiar
nature of their faults( This e)amination+ ho,ever+ should %e peaceful and
tran.uil and ,e should depend on God for the discovery and 0no,ledge of our
sins+ rather than on the diligence of our o,n scrutiny(
'hen ,e e)amine ,ith effort+ ,e are easily deceived+ and %etrayed %y self:love
into error7 "We call the evil !ood, and the !ood evil," 2 (sa( v( 84 %ut ,hen ,e lie in
full e)posure %efore the Sun of <ighteousness+ his divine %eams render thesmallest atoms visi%le( 'e must+ then+ forsa0e self+ and a%andon our souls to
God+ as ,ell in e)amination as confession(
8( 'hen souls have attained to this species of prayer+ no fault escapes the
reprehension of God no sooner are they committed than they are re%u0ed %y an
in,ard %urning and tender confusion( Such is the scrutiny of *im ,ho suffersno evil to %e concealed and the only ,ay is to turn simply to God+ and %ear the
pain and correction *e inflicts(
/s *e %ecomes the incessant e)aminer of the soul+ it can no, no longer
e)amine itself and if it %e faithful in its a%andonment+ e)perience ,ill provethat it is much more effectually e)plored %y his divine light+ than %y all its o,n
carefulness(
$( Those ,ho tread these paths should %e informed of a matter respecting their
confession+ in ,hich they are apt to err( 'hen they %egin to give an account of
their sins+ instead of the regret and contrition they had %een accustomed to feel+they find that love and tran.uility s,eetly pervade and ta0e possession of their
souls7 no, those ,ho are not properly instructed are desirous of resisting this
sensation+ and forming an act of contrition+ %ecause they have heard+ and ,ithtruth+ that this is re.uisite( 1ut they are not a,are that they there%y lose the
genuine contrition+ ,hich is this infused love, and ,hich infinitely surpasses
any effect produced %y self:e)ertion+ comprehending the other acts in itself asin one principal act+ in much higher perfection than if they ,ere distinctly
perceived(
Let them not %e trou%led to do other,ise+ ,hen God acts so e)cellently in andfor them( To hate sin in this manner+ is to hate it as God does( The purest love
is that ,hich is of his immediate operation in the soul ,hy should ,e then %e
so eager for action? Let us remain in the state *e assigns us+ agreea%ly to the
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instructions of the ,ise man7 "%ut your confidence in God remain in 7uiet
where he hath placed you." 2 0ccles( )i( 88(4
3( The soul ,ill also %e ama9ed at finding a difficulty in calling its faults to
remem%rance( This+ ho,ever+ should cause no uneasiness+ first+ %ecause this
forgetfulness of our faults is some proof of our purification from them+ and+ in
this degree of advancement+ it is %est to forget ,hatever concerns ourselves that,e may remem%er only God( Secondly+ %ecause+ ,hen confession is our duty+
God ,ill not fail to ma0e 0no,n to us our greatest faults for then *e himself
e)amines and the soul ,ill feel the end of e)amination more perfectlyaccomplished+ than it could possi%ly have %een %y all our o,n endeavors(
#( These instructions+ ho,ever+ ,ould %e altogether unsuita%le to the preceding
degrees+ ,hile the soul continues in its active state+ ,herein it is right andnecessary that it should in all things e)ert itself+ in proportion to its
advancement( /s to those ,ho have arrived at this more advanced state+ I
e)hort them to follo, these instructions+ and not to vary their simple
occupations even on approaching the communion let them remain in silence+and suffer God to act freely( *e cannot %e %etter received than %y *imself(
C H A P T E R 2VI"
ON READING AND VOCAL PRAYERS"
T*E method of reading in this state+ is to cease ,hen you feel yourself
recollected+ and remain in stillness+ reading %ut little+ and al,ays desisting
,hen thus internally attracted( 8( The soul that is called to a state of in,ard silence+ should not encum%er
itself ,ith vocal prayers ,henever it ma0es use of them+ and finds a difficultytherein+ and an attraction to silence+ let it not use constraint %y persevering+ %ut
yield to the internal dra,ings+ unless the repeating such prayers %e a matter of o%ligation( In any other case+ it is much %etter not to %e %urdened ,ith and tied
do,n to the repetition of set forms+ %ut ,holly given up to the leadings of the
*oly Spirit and in this ,ay every species of devotion is fulfilled in a mosteminent degree(
C H A P T E R 2VII"
THE SPIRIT INDITES O#R PETITIONS"
T*E soul should not %e surprised at feeling itself una%le to offer up to God such
petitions as had formerly %een made ,ith facility for no, the Spirit ma0ethintercession for it according to the ,ill of God that Spirit ,hich helpeth our
infirmities "for we know not what we should pray for as we ou!ht but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with !roanin!s which cannot be uttered." 2 #om( viii( 8(4 'e must second the designs of God+ ,hich tend to divest us of all our
o,n operations+ that his may %e su%stituted in their place(
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8( Let this+ then+ %e done in you and suffer not yourself to %e attached to
anything+ ho,ever good it may appear it is no longer such to you+ if it in any
measure turns you aside from ,hat God desires of you( For the divine ,ill is
prefera%le to every other good( Sha0e off+ then+ all self:interest+ and live %yfaith and a%andonment here it is that genuine faith %egins truly to operate(
C H A P T E R 2VIII"
ON FA#LTS COMMITTED"
S*6LD ,e either ,ander among e)ternals+ or commit a fault+ ,e must instantly
turn in,ards for having departed there%y from God+ ,e should as soon as
possi%le turn to,ard *im+ and suffer the penalty ,hich *e inflicts(
It is of great importance to guard against ve)ation on account of our faults it
springs from a secret root of pride+ and a love of our o,n e)cellence ,e are
hurt at feeling ,hat ,e are(
8( If ,e %ecome discouraged+ ,e are the more enfee%led and from our
reflections on our imperfections+ a chagrin arises+ ,hich is often ,orse than the
imperfections themselves(
The truly hum%le soul is not surprised at its defects or failings and the more
misera%le it %eholds itself+ the more it a%andons itself to God+ and presses for a
more intimate alliance ,ith *im+ seeing the need it has of his aid( 'e shouldthe rather %e induced to act thus+ as God himself has said+ "( will instruct thee
and teach thee in the way which thou shalt !o ( will !uide thee with mine eye." 2 %salm )))ii( (4
C H A P T E R 2I2"
ON DISTRACTIONS AND TEMPTATIONS"
/ DI<E>T struggle ,ith distractions and temptations rather serves to augment
them+ and ,ithdra,s the soul from that adherence to God+ ,hich should ever %e
its sole occupation( 'e should simply turn a,ay from the evil+ and dra, yetnearer to God( / little child+ on perceiving a monster+ does not ,ait to fight
,ith it+ and ,ill scarcely turn its eyes to,ard it+ %ut .uic0ly shrin0s into the
%osom of its mother+ in assurance of its safety( "God is in the midst of her," saysthe Psalmist+ "she shall not be moved God shall help her, and that ri!ht early." 2 %salm )lvi( #(4
8( If ,e do other,ise+ and in our ,ea0ness attempt to attac0 our enemies+ ,eshall fre.uently find ourselves ,ounded+ if not totally defeated7 %ut+ %y
remaining in the simple presence of God+ ,e shall find instant supplies of
strength for our support( This ,as the resource of David7 "( have set," says he+
"the $ord always before me because he is at my ri!ht hand, ( shall not bemoved. 'herefore my heart is !lad, and my !lory re-oiceth my flesh also shall
rest in hope." 2 %salm )vi( +H(4 /nd it is said in E)odus+ "'he $ord shall fi!ht for you,
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and ye shall hold your peace." 2 0od ( )iv( !3(4
C H A P T E R 22"
PRAYER DIVINELY E2PLAINED"
16T* devotion and sacrifice are comprehended in prayer+ ,hich+ according to St(&ohn is an incense+ the smo0e ,hereof ascendeth unto God therefore it is said
in the /pocalypse+ that "unto the an!el was !iven much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints." 2 #ev( viii( $(4
Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the presence of God7 "( have poured out
my soul before the $ord," said the mother of Samuel( 2& Sam( i( !#(4 The prayer of the
,ise men at the feet of >hrist in the sta%le of 1ethlehem+ ,as signified %y theincense they offered(
8( Prayer is a certain ,armth of love+ melting+ dissolving+ and su%limating the
soul+ and causing it to ascend unto God+ and+ as the soul is melted+ odors risefrom it and these s,eet e)halations proceed from the consuming fire of love
,ithin(
This is illustrated in the anticles, 2i( !8+4 ,here the spouse says+ "While the kin! sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." The ta%le is
the centre of the soul and ,hen God is there+ and ,e 0no, ho, to d,ell near+
and a%ide ,ith *im+ the sacred presence gradually dissolves the hardness of thesoul+ and+ as it melts+ fragrance issues forth hence it is+ that the 1eloved says of
his spouse+ in seeing her soul melt ,hen he spo0e+ "Who is this that cometh out
of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and
frankincense"2ant ( v( iii( (4
$( Thus does the soul ascend to God+ %y giving up self to the destroying andannihilating po,er of divine love( This is a state of sacrifice essential to the
>hristian religion+ in ,hich the soul suffers itself to %e destroyed and
annihilated+ that it may pay homage to the sovereignty of God as it is ,ritten+
"'he power of the $ord is !reat, and he is honored only by the humble." 2 0ccles( iii(
8!(4 1y the destruction of self+ ,e ac0no,ledge the supreme e)istence of God(
'e must cease to e)ist in self+ in order that the Spirit of the Eternal 'ord may
e)ist in us7 it is %y the giving up of our o,n life+ that ,e give place to hiscoming and in dying to ourselves+ *e himself lives in us(
'e must surrender our ,hole %eing to >hrist &esus+ and cease to live any longer
in ourselves+ that *e may %ecome our life "that bein! dead, our life may be hid with hrist in God." 2ol ( iii( $(4 "%ass ye into me," sayeth God+ "all ye who
earnestly seek after me." 2 0ccles( ))iv( !(4 1ut ho, is it ,e pass into God? In no ,ay
%ut %y leaving and forsa0ing ourselves+ that ,e may %e lost in *im and thiscan %e effected only %y annihilation+ ,hich+ %eing the true prayer of adoration+
renders unto God alone+ all "blessin!, honor, !lory, and power, forever and
ever." 2 #ev( v( !$(4
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3( This prayer of truth it is "worshippin! God in spirit and in truth6" 2 )ohn iv( 8$(4
"(n spirit," %ecause ,e enter into the purity of that Spirit ,hich prayeth ,ithin
us+ and are dra,n forth from our o,n carnal and human method "in truth,"
%ecause ,e are there%y placed in the truth of the all of God+ and the nothing of the creature(
There are %ut these t,o truths+ the/LL
and the @6T*I@G
everything else isfalsehood( 'e can pay due honor to the /LL of God+ only in our o,n /@@I*IL/TI6@
,hich is no sooner accomplished+ than *e+ ,ho never suffers a void in nature+
instantly fills us ,ith *imself(
/h; did ,e %ut 0no, the virtues and the %lessings ,hich the soul derives from
this prayer+ ,e should not %e ,illing to do anything else It is the pearl of !reat
price the hidden treasure, 2 Matt ( )iii( 33+3#+4 ,hich+ ,hoever findeth+ selleth freely allthat he hath to purchase it It is the well of livin! water, which sprin!eth up
unto everlastin! life. It is the adoration of God "in spirit and in truth6" 2 )ohn iv( !3:
8$74 and It is the full performance of the purest evangelical precepts(
#( &esus >hrist assures us+ that the "kin!dom of God is within us6" 2 $uke )vii( 8!74 and
this is true in t,o senses7 first+ ,hen God %ecomes so fully Master and Lord inus+ that nothing resists his dominion+ then our interior is his 0ingdom and
again+ ,hen ,e possess God+ ,ho is the Supreme Good+ ,e possess his
0ingdom also+ ,herein there is fulness of -oy+ and ,here ,e attain the end of
our creation( Thus it is said+ "to serve God is to rei!n." The end of our creation+indeed+ is to en-oy God+ even in this life %ut+ alas; ,ho thin0s of it?
C H A P T E R 22I"
THE SO#L ACTIVE WHEN SELF IS STILL"
S6ME persons+ ,hen they hear of the prayer of silence+ falsely imagine that the
soul remains stupid, dead, and inactive %ut it un.uestiona%ly acts more no%ly
and more e)tensively than it had ever done %efore for God himself is its mover+
and it no, acts %y the agency of his Spirit( St( Paul ,ould have us led by the
Spirit of God. 2 #om( viii( !3(4
It is not meant that ,e should cease from action %ut that ,e should act through
the internal agency of his grace( This is finely represented %y the prophetE9e0ielAs vision of the ,heels+ ,hich had a living Spirit and ,hithersoever the
Spirit ,as to go+ they ,ent they ascended and descended as they ,ere moved
for the Spirit of life ,as in them+ and they returned not ,hen they ,ent( 2 08ek ( i( !:
8!(4 Thus the soul should %e e.ually su%servient to the ,ill of that vivifying Spirit
,hich is in it+ and scrupulously faithful to follo, only as that moves( These
motions never tend to return in reflections on the creatures or self %ut gofor,ard in an incessant approach to,ard the end(
8( This activity of the soul is attended ,ith the utmost tran.uility( 'hen it acts
of itself+ the act is forced and constrained+ and+ therefore+ it is more easily
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distinguished %ut ,hen the action is under the influence of the Spirit of grace+
it is so free+ so easy+ and so natural+ that it almost seems as if ,e did not act at
all( "He brou!ht me forth also into a lar!e place He delivered me, because He
deli!hted in me." 2 %s( )viii( !H(4
'hen the soul is in its central tendency+ or in other ,ords+ is returned through
recollection into itself+ from that moment+ the central attraction %ecomes a most potent activity+ infinitely surpassing in energy every other species( @othing+
indeed+ can e.ual the s,iftness of this tendency to the centre and though an
activity+ yet it is so no%le+ so peaceful+ so full of tran.uility+ so natural+ and sospontaneous+ that it appears to the soul as if it ,ere none at all(
'hen a ,heel rolls slo,ly ,e can easily perceive its parts %ut ,hen its motion
is rapid+ ,e can distinguish nothing( So the soul ,hich rests in God+ has anactivity e)ceedingly no%le and elevated+ yet altogether peaceful and the more
peaceful it is+ the s,ifter is its course %ecause it is given up to that Spirit %y
,hom it is moved and directed(
$( This attracting Spirit is no other than God himself+ ,ho+ in dra,ing us+
causes us to run to *im( *o, ,ell did the spouse understand this+ ,hen shesaid+ "*raw me, we will run after thee." 2ant ( i( 3(4 Dra, me unto Thee+ 6 my
divine centre+ %y the secret springs of my e)istence+ and all my po,ers and
senses shall follo, Thee; This simple attraction is %oth an ointment to heal and
a perfume to allure7 we follow, saith she+ the fra!rance of thy perfumes andthough so powerful an attraction+ it is follo,ed %y the soul freely+ and ,ithout
constraint for it is e.ually delightful as forci%le and ,hilst it attracts %y its
po,er+ it carries us a,ay %y its s,eetness( "*raw me," says the spouse+ "and we will run after thee." She spea0s of and to herself7 "draw me," %ehold the
unity of the centre ,hich is dra,n; "we will run," %ehold the correspondence
and course of all the senses and po,ers in follo,ing the attraction of the centre;
3( Instead+ then+ of encouraging sloth+ ,e promote the highest activity+ %y
inculcating a total dependence on the Spirit of God, as our moving principle
for it is in Him, and by Him alone, that we live and move, and have our bein!.2 2cts )vii( 8(4 This mee0 dependence on the Spirit of God is indispensa%ly
necessary+ and causes the soul shortly to attain the unity and simplicity in ,hich
it ,as created(
'e must+ therefore+ forsa0e our multifarious activity+ to enter into the simplicity
and unity of God+ in ,hose image ,e ,ere originally formed( 2Gen( i( 85(4 "'he
Spirit is one and manifold, 2Wisdom vii( 88+4 and his unity does not preclude hismultiplicity( 'e enter into his unity ,hen ,e are united to his Spirit+ and %y
that means have one and the same spirit ,ith *im and ,e are multiplied in
respect to the out,ard e)ecution of his ,ill+ ,ithout any departure from our state of union(
In this ,ay+ ,hen ,e are ,holly moved %y the divine Spirit+ ,hich is infinitely
active+ our activity must+ indeed+ %e more energetic than that ,hich is merelyour o,n( 'e must yield ourselves to the guidance of "wisdom, which is more
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movin! than any motion," 2Wisdom vii( 83+4 and %y a%iding in dependence upon its
action+ our activity ,ill %e truly efficient(
#( "2ll thin!s were made by the Word, and without Him was not anythin! made,that was made." 2 )ohn i( $(4 God originally formed us in his own ima!e and
likeness *e %reathed into us the Spirit of his 'ord+ that breath of $ife 2Gen( ii( 54
,hich *e gave us at our creation+ in the participation ,hereof the image of Godconsisted( @o,+ this LIFE is one+ simple+ pure+ intimate+ and al,ays fruitful(
The devil having %ro0en and deformed the divine image in the soul %y sin+ the
agency of the same 'ord ,hose Spirit ,as in%reathed at our creation+ isa%solutely necessary for its renovation( It ,as necessary that it should %e *e+
%ecause *e is the e)press image of his Father and no image can %e repaired %y
its o,n efforts+ %ut must remain passive for that purpose under the hand of the,or0man(
6ur activity should+ therefore+ consist in placin! ourselves in a state of
suscepti%ility to divine impressions+ and plia%ility to all the operations of theEternal 'ord( 'hilst a ta%let is unsteady+ the painter is una%le to produce a
correct picture upon it+ and every movement of self is productive of erroneouslineaments it interrupts the ,or0 and defeats the design of this adora%le
Painter( 'e must then remain in peace+ and move only ,hen *e moves us(
)esus hrist hath life in himself, 2 )ohn v( 8+4 and *e must give life to every living
thing(
The spirit of the >hurch of God is the spirit of the divine movement( Is she idle+
%arren+ or unfruitful? @o she acts+ %ut her activity is in dependence upon the
Spirit of God+ ,ho moves and governs her( &ust so should it %e in her mem%ersthat they may %e spiritual children of the >hurch+ they must %e moved %y the
Spirit(
( /s all action is estima%le only in proportion to the grandeur and dignity of
the efficient principle+ this action is incontesta%ly more @61LE than any other(
/ctions produced %y a divine principle+ are divine %ut creaturely actions+ho,ever good they appear+ are only human, or at least virtuous+ even ,hen
accompanied %y grace(
&esus >hrist says that *e has life in *imself7 all other %eings have only a %orro,ed life %ut the 'ord has life in *imself and %eing communicative of
his nature+ *e desires to %esto, it upon man( 'e should therefore ma0e room
for the influ) of this life+ ,hich can only %e done %y the e-ection and loss of the/damical life+ and the suppression of the activity of self( This is agreea%le to
the assertion of St( Paul+ "(f any man be in hrist, he is a new creature old
thin!s are passed away behold, all thin!s are become new," 29or ( v( !54 %ut this
state can %e accomplished only %y dying to ourselves+ and to all our o,nactivity+ that the activity of God may %e su%stituted in its place(
Instead+ therefore+ of prohi%iting activity+ ,e en-oin it %ut in a%solute
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dependence on the Spirit of God+ that his activity may ta0e the place of our
o,n( This can only %e effected %y the consent of the creature and this
concurrence can only %e yielded %y moderatin! our o,n action+ that the activity
of God may+ little %y little+ %e ,holly su%stituted for it(
5( &esus >hrist has e)emplified this in the Gospel( Martha did ,hat ,as right
%ut %ecause she did it in her o,n spirit+ >hrist re%u0ed her( The spirit of man isrestless and tur%ulent for ,hich reason he does little+ though he seems to do a
great deal( "Martha," says >hrist+ "thou art careful and troubled about many
thin!s but one thin! is needful and Mary hath chosen that !ood part which shall not be taken away from her." 2 $uke )( 3!+38(4 /nd ,hat ,as it Mary had chosen?
<epose+ tran.uility+ and peace( She had apparently ceased to act+ that the Spirit
of >hrist might act in her she had ceased to live+ that >hrist might %e her life(
This sho,s ho, necessary it is to renounce ourselves+ and all our activity+ to
follo, >hrist for ,e cannot follo, *im+ if ,e are not animated %y his Spirit(
@o, that his Spirit may gain admittance+ it is necessary that our o,n should %e
e)pelled7 "He that is -oined unto the $ord," says St( Paul+ "is one spirit." 2&or ( vi(
!5(4 /nd David said it ,as good for him to dra, near unto the Lord+ and to put
his trust in him( 2 %salm l))iii( 8(4 'hat is this dra,ing near? It is the %eginning of
union(
( Divine union has its commencement+ its progress+ its achievement+ and its
consummation( It is at first an inclination to,ards God( 'hen the soul isintroverted in the manner %efore descri%ed+ it gets ,ithin the influence of the
central attraction+ and ac.uires an eager desire after union this is the
%eginning( It then adheres to *im ,hen it has got nearer and nearer+ and finally %ecomes one+ that is+ one spirit ,ith *im and then it is that the spirit ,hich had
,andered from God+ returns again to its end(
H( Into this ,ay+ then+ ,hich is the divine motion+ and the spirit of &esus >hrist+,e must necessarily enter( St( Paul says+ "(f any man have not the spirit of
hrist, he is none of his" 2 #om( viii( H47 therefore+ to %e >hristAs+ ,e must %e filled
,ith his Spirit+ and emptied of our o,n( The /postle+ in the same passage+ proves the necessity of this divine influence( "2s many," says he+ "as are led by
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." 2 #om( viii( !3(4
The spirit of divine filiation is+ then+ the spirit of divine motion7 he therefore
adds+ "Ye have not received the spirit of bonda!e a!ain to fear but ye have
received the spirit of adoption whereby ye cry 2bba, /ather." This spirit is no
other than the spirit of >hrist+ through ,hich ,e participate in his filiation"'he Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."
'hen the soul yields itself to the influence of this %lessed Spirit+ it perceives
the testimony of its divine filiation and it feels also+ ,ith superadded -oy+ that it has received, not the spirit of bonda!e, but of liberty, even the liberty of the
children of God it then finds that it acts freely and sweetly+ though ,ith vigor
and infalli%ility(
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!( The spirit of divine action is so necessary in all things+ that St( Paul+ in the
same passage+ founds that necessity on our ignorance ,ith respect to ,hat ,e
pray for7 "'he Spirit," says he+ "also helpeth our infirmities6 for we know not
what we should pray for as we ou!ht but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with !roanin!s which cannot be uttered." This is plain enough if ,e
0no, not ,hat ,e stand in need of+ nor ho, to pray as ,e ought for those
things ,hich are necessary+ and if the Spirit ,hich is in us+ and to ,hich ,eresign ourselves+ must as0 for us+ should ,e not permit *im to give vent to his
unuttera%le groanings in our %ehalf?
This Spirit is the Spirit of the 'ord+ ,hich is al,ays heard+ as *e says himself7
"( knew that thou hearest me always" 2 )ohn )i( 384 and if ,e freely admit this Spirit
to pray and intercede for us+ ,e also shall %e al,ays heard( /nd ,hy? Let uslearn from the same great /postle+ that s0illful Mystic+ and Master of the
interior life+ ,here he adds+ "He that searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the
mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints, accordin! to
the will of God" 2 #om( viii( 8547 that is to say+ the Spirit demands only ,hat isconforma%le to the ,ill of God( The ,ill of God is that ,e should %e saved+
and that ,e should %ecome perfect7 *e+ therefore+ intercedes for all that is
necessary for our perfection(
!!( 'hy+ then+ should ,e %e %urthened ,ith superfluous cares+ and weary
ourselves in the multiplicity of our ways, without ever sayin!, let us rest in
peace. God himself invites us to cast all our care upon *im and *e complainsin Isaiah+ ,ith ineffa%le goodness+ that the soul had e)pended its po,ers and its
treasures on a thousand e)ternal o%-ects+ ,hen there ,as so little to do to attain
all it need desire( "Wherefore," saith God+ "do you spend money for that whichis not bread and your labor for that which satisfieth not Hearken dili!ently
unto me, and eat ye that which is !ood, and let your soul deli!ht itself in
fatness." 2 (sa( lv( 8(4
6h; did ,e %ut 0no, the %lessedness of thus hear0ening to God+ and ho,
greatly the soul is strengthened %y such a course; "1e silent, 5 all flesh, before
the $ord" 2 :ech( ii( !$4 all must cease as soon as *e appears( 1ut to engage us stillfarther to an a%andonment ,ithout reservation+ God assures us+ %y the same
Prophet+ that ,e need fear nothing+ %ecause he ta0es a very special care of us
"an a woman for!et her suckin! child, that she should not have compassionon the son of her womb Yea, she may for!et yet will not ( for!et thee." 2 (sa( )li)(
!#(4 6 ,ords full of consolation; 'ho after that ,ill fear to a%andon himself
,holly to the guidance of God?
C H A P T E R 22II"
ON INWARD AND O#TWARD ACTS"
/>TS are distinguished into e)ternal and internal( 0ternal acts are those ,hich
appear out,ardly+ and %ear relation to some sensi%le o%-ect+ and have no moral
character+ e)cept such as they derive from the principle from ,hich they proceed( I intend here to spea0 only of internal acts+ those energies of the soul+
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%y ,hich it turns internally towards some o%-ects+ and away from others(
8( If during my application to God+ I should form a ,ill to change the nature of my act+ I should there%y ,ithdra, myself from God and turn to created o%-ects+
and that in a greater or less degree according to the strength of the act7 and if+
,hen I am turned to,ards the creature+ I ,ould return to God+ I must
necessarily form an act for that purpose and the more perfect this act is+ themore complete is the conversion(
Till conversion is perfected+ many reiterated acts are necessary for it is ,ith
some progressive+ though ,ith others it is instantaneous( My act+ ho,ever+should consist in a continual turning to God+ an e)ertion of every faculty and
po,er of the soul purely for *im+ agreea%ly to the instructions of the son of
Sirach7 "#e;unite all the motions of thy heart in the holiness of God" 2 0ccles( )))( 83+4and to the e)ample of David+ "( will keep my whole stren!th for thee," 2 %salm li)( H+
Culg(4 ,hich is done %y earnestly re:entering into ourselves as Isaiah saith+
"#eturn to your heart" 2 (sa. )lvi( + Culg(4 For ,e have strayed from our heart %y sin+
and it is our heart only that God re.uires7 "My son !ive me thine heart, and let thine eye observe my ways." 2 %rov( ))iii( 8(4 To give the heart to God+ is to have the
,hole energy of the soul ever centering in *im+ that ,e may %e rendered
conforma%le to his ,ill( 'e must+ therefore+ continue invaria%ly turned to God+from our first application to *im(
1ut the spirit %eing unsta%le+ and the soul accustomed to turn to e)ternalo%-ects+ it is easily distracted( This evil+ ho,ever+ ,ill %e counteracted if+ on
perceiving the ,andering+ ,e+ %y a pure act of return to God+ instantly replace
ourselves in *im and this act su%sists as long as the conversion lasts+ %y the po,erful influence of a simple and unfeigned return to God(
$( /s many reiterated acts form a ha%it+ the soul contracts the ha%it of
conversion and that act ,hich ,as %efore interrupted and distinct %ecomesha%itual(
The soul should not+ then+ %e perple)ed a%out forming an act ,hich alreadysu%sists+ and ,hich+ indeed+ it cannot attempt to form ,ithout very great
difficulty it even finds that it is ,ithdra,n from its proper state+ under pretence
of see0ing that ,hich is in reality ac.uired+ seeing the ha%it is already formed+and it is confirmed in ha%itual conversion and ha%itual love( It is see0ing one
act %y the help of many+ instead of continuing attached to God %y one simple
act alone(
'e may remar0+ that at times ,e form ,ith facility many distinct yet simple
acts ,hich sho,s that ,e have ,andered+ and that ,e re:enter our heart after
having strayed from it yet ,hen ,e have re:entered+ ,e should remain there in
peace( 'e err+ therefore+ in supposing that ,e must not form acts we formthem continually6 %ut let them %e conforma%le to the degree of our spiritual
advancement(
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3( The great difficulty ,ith most spiritual people arises from their not clearly
comprehending this matter( @o,+ some acts are transient and distinct + others
are continued + and again+ some are direct + and others reflective( /ll cannot form
the first+ neither are all in a state suited to form the others( The first are adaptedto those ,ho have strayed+ and ,ho re.uire a distinct e)ertion+ proportioned to
the e)tent of their deviation if the latter %e inconsidera%le+ an act of the most
simple 0ind is sufficient(
#( 1y the continued act+ I mean that ,here%y the soul is altogether turned
to,ard God %y a direct act+ al,ays su%sisting+ and ,hich it does not rene,unless it has %een interrupted( The soul %eing thus turned+ is in charity+ and
a%ides therein "and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God." 2&)ohn iv( !(4 The
soul then+ as it ,ere+ e)ists and rests in this ha%itual act( It is+ ho,ever+ freefrom sloth for there is still an uninterrupted act subsistin!, ,hich is a sweet
sinkin! into the *eity, ,hose attraction %ecomes more and more po,erful(
Follo,ing this potent attraction+ and d,elling in love and charity+ the soul sin0s
continually deeper into that Love+ maintaining an activity infinitely more po,erful+ vigorous+ and effectual than that ,hich served to accomplish its first
return(
( @o, the soul that is thus profoundly and vi!orously active, %eing ,hollygiven up to God+ does not perceive this act+ %ecause it is direct and not
reflective( This is the reason ,hy some+ not e)pressing themselves properly+
say+ that they ma0e no acts %ut it is a mista0e+ for they ,ere never more trulyor no%ly active they should say+ that they did not distin!uish their acts, and not
that they did not act. I grant that they do not act of themselves %ut they are
dra,n+ and they follo, the attraction( Love is the ,eight ,hich sin0s them( /sone falling into the sea+ ,ould sin0 from one depth to another to all eternity+ if
the sea ,ere infinite+ so they+ ,ithout perceiving their descent+ drop ,ith
inconceiva%le s,iftness into the lo,est deeps(
It is+ then+ improper to say that ,e do not ma0e acts all form acts+ %ut the
manner of their formation is not ali0e in all( The mista0e arises from this+ that
all ,ho 0no, they should act+ are desirous of acting distin!uishably and perceptibly %ut this cannot %e7 sensi%le acts are for %eginners there are others
for those in a more advanced state( To stop in the former+ ,hich are ,ea0 and
of little profit+ is to de%ar ourselves of the latter as to attempt the latter ,ithouthaving passed through the former+ is a no less considera%le error(
5( "'o everythin! there is a season" 2 0ccles( iii( !47 every state has its
commencement+ its progress+ and its consummation+ and it is an unhappy error to stop in the %eginning( There is no art %ut ,hat has its progress at first+ ,e
la%or ,ith toil+ %ut at last ,e reap the fruit of our industry(
'hen the vessel is in port+ the mariners are o%liged to e)ert all their strength+
that they may clear her thence+ and put to sea %ut they su%se.uently turn her
,ith facility as they please( In li0e manner+ ,hile the soul remains in sin andthe creature+ many endeavors are re.uisite to effect its freedom the ca%les
,hich hold it must %e loosed+ and then %y strong and vigorous efforts it gathers
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itself in,ard+ pushes off gradually from the old port of Self+ and+ leaving that
%ehind+ proceeds to the interior+ the haven so much desired(
( 'hen the vessel is thus started+ as she advances on the sea+ she leaves the
shore %ehind and the farther she departs from the land+ the less la%or is
re.uisite in moving her for,ard( /t length she %egins to get gently under sail+
and no, proceeds so s,iftly in her course+ that the oars+ ,hich are %ecomeuseless+ are laid aside( *o, is the pilot no, employed? he is content ,ith
spreading the sails and holding the rudder(
'o spread the sails, is to lay ourselves %efore God in the prayer of simplee)position+ to %e moved %y his Spirit to hold the rudder, is to restrain our heart
from ,andering from the true course+ recalling it gently+ and guiding it steadily
%y the dictates of the Spirit of God+ ,hich gradually gains possession of theheart+ -ust as the %ree9e %y degrees fills the sails and impels the vessel( 'hile
the ,inds are fair+ the pilot and the mariners rest from their la%ors( 'hat
progress do they not no, secure+ ,ithout the least fatigue; They ma0e more
,ay no, in one hour+ ,hile they rest and leave the vessel to the ,ind+ than theydid in a length of time %y all their former efforts and even ,ere they no, to
attempt using the oars+ %esides greatly fatiguing themselves+ they ,ould only
retard the vessel %y their useless e)ertions(
This is our proper course interiorly+ and a short time ,ill advance us %y the
divine impulsion farther than many reiterated acts of self:e)ertion( 'hoever ,ill try this path+ ,ill find it the easiest in the ,orld(
H( If the ,ind %e contrary and %lo, a storm+ ,e must cast anchor in the sea+ to
hold the vessel( This anchor is simply trust in God and hope in his goodness+,aiting patiently the calming of the tempest and the return of a favora%le gale
thus did David7 "( waited patiently for the $ord, and he inclined unto me, and
heard my cry." 2 %s( )l( !(4 'e must therefore %e resigned to the Spirit of God+giving ourselves up ,holly to his divine guidance(
C H A P T E R 22III"
AN E2HORTATION TO MINISTERS"
IF all ,ho la%ored for the conversion of others sought to reach them 1= T*E *E/<T+introducing them immediately into prayer and the interior life+ num%erless and
permanent conversions ,ould ensue( 6n the contrary+ fe, and transient fruits
must attend that la%or ,hich is confined to out,ard matters+ such as %urdeningthe disciple ,ith a thousand precepts for e)ternal e)ercises+ instead of leading
the soul to >hrist %y the occupation of the heart in *im(
If ministers ,ere solicitous thus to instruct their parishioners+ shepherds+ ,hilethey ,atched their floc0s+ ,ould have the spirit of the primitive >hristians+ and
the hus%andman at the plough ,ould maintain a %lessed intercourse ,ith his
God the manufacturer+ ,hile he e)hausted his out,ard man ,ith la%or+ ,ould
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%e rene,ed ,ith in,ard strength every species of vice ,ould shortly disappear+
and every parishioner ,ould %ecome spiritually minded(
8( 6 ,hen once the *E/<T is gained+ ho, easily is all the rest corrected; this is
,hy God+ a%ove all things+ re.uires the *E/<T( 1y this means alone+ ,e may
e)tirpate the dreadful vices ,hich so prevail among the lo,er orders+ such as
drun0enness+ %lasphemy+ le,dness+ enmity and theft( &ESS
>*<IST
,ould reignevery,here in peace+ and the face of the church ,ould %e rene,ed throughout(
The decay of internal piety is un.uestiona%ly the source of the various errors
that have appeared in the ,orld all ,ould speedily %e overthro,n+ ,ere in,arddevotion re:esta%lished( Errors ta0e possession of no soul+ e)cept such as are
deficient in faith and prayer and if+ instead of engaging our ,andering %rethren
in constant disputations+ ,e ,ould %ut teach them simply to believe+ anddiligently to P</=+ ,e should lead them s,eetly to God(
6 ho, ine)pressi%ly great is the loss sustained %y man0ind from the neglect of
the interior life; /nd ,hat an account ,ill those have to render ,ho areentrusted ,ith the care of souls+ and have not discovered and communicated to
their floc0 this hidden treasure;
$( Some e)cuse themselves %y saying+ that there is danger in this ,ay+ or that
simple persons are incapa%le of comprehending the things of the Spirit( 1ut the
oracles of truth affirm the contrary7 "'he $ord loveth those who walk simply." 2 %rov( )ii( 88+ Culg(4 1ut ,hat danger can there %e in ,al0ing in the only true ,ay+
,hich is &esus >hrist+ giving ourselves up to *im+ fi)ing our eye continually on
*im+ placing all our confidence in his grace+ and tending ,ith all the strength of
our soul to his purest love?
3( The simple ones+ so far from %eing incapable of this perfection+ are+ %y their
docility+ innocence+ and humility+ peculiarly .ualified for its attainment and+ asthey are not accustomed to reasoning+ they are less tenacious of their o,n
opinions( Even from their ,ant of learning+ they su%mit more freely to the
teachings of the divine Spirit ,hereas others+ ,ho are cramped and %linded %yself:sufficiency+ offer much greater resistance to the operations of grace(
'e are told in Scripture that "unto the simple, God !iveth the understandin! of
his law" 2 %salm c)i)( !$+ c)viii( !$+ Culg(47 and ,e are also assured+ that God loves tocommunicate ,ith them7 "'he $ord careth for the simple ( was reduced to
etremity and He saved me." 2 %salm c)iv( + c)v( + Culg(4 Let spiritual fathers %e careful
ho, they prevent their little ones from coming to >hrist *e himself said to hisapostles+ "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kin!dom of
heaven." 2 Matt ( )i)( !3(4 It ,as the endeavor of the apostles to prevent children from
going to our Lord+ ,hich occasioned this command(
#( Man fre.uently applies a remedy to the out,ard %ody+ ,hilst the disease lies
at the heart( The cause of our %eing so unsuccessful in reforming man0ind+
especially those of the lo,er classes+ is our %eginning ,ith e)ternal matters all
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our la%ors in this field+ do %ut produce such fruit as endures not %ut if the key
of the interior %e first given+ the e)terior ,ould %e naturally and easily
reformed(
@o, this is very easy( To teach man to see0 God in his heart+ to thin0 of *im+ to
return to *im ,henever he finds he has ,andered from *im+ and to do and
suffer all things ,ith a single eye to please *im+ is leading the soul to thesource of all grace+ and causing it to find there everything necessary for
sanctification(
( I therefore %eseech you all+ 6 ye that have the care of souls+ to put them atonce into this ,ay+ ,hich is &esus >hrist nay+ it is *e himself that con-ures you+
%y all the %lood he has shed for those entrusted to you( "Speak to the heart of
)erusalem+" 2 (sa( )l( 8+ Culg(4 6 ye dispensers of his grace; preachers of his ,ord;ministers of his sacraments; esta%lish his 0ingdom; and that it may indeed
%e esta%lished+ ma0e *im <LE< 6CE< T*E *E/<T; For as it is the heart alone that
can oppose his sovereignty+ it is %y the su%-ection of the heart that his
sovereignty is most highly honored7 "Give !lory to the holiness of God, and he shall become your sanctification." 2 (sa( viii( !$+ Culg(4 >ompose catechisms e)pressly
to teach prayer+ not %y reasoning nor %y method+ for the simple are incapa%le of
that %ut to teach the prayer of the heart+ not of the understanding the prayer of GodAs Spirit+ not of manAs invention(
5( /las; %y directing them to pray in elaborate forms+ and to %e curiouslycritical therein+ you create their chief o%stacles( The children have %een led
astray from the %est of fathers+ %y your endeavoring to teach them too refined a
language( Go+ then+ ye poor children+ to your heavenly Father+ spea0 to him inyour natural language rude and %ar%arous as it may %e+ it is not so to *im( /
father is %etter pleased ,ith an address ,hich love and respect have made
confused+ %ecause he sees that it proceeds from the heart+ than he is %y a dryand %arren harangue+ though never so ela%orate( The simple and undisguised
emotions of love are infinitely more e)pressive than all language+ and all
reasoning(
( Men have desired to love L6CE %y formal rules+ and have thus lost much of
that love( 6 ho, unnecessary is it to teach an art of loving; The language of
love is %ar%arous to him that does not love+ %ut perfectly natural to him that
does and there is no %etter ,ay to learn ho, to love God+ than to love him(The most ignorant often %ecome the most perfect+ %ecause they proceed ,ith
more cordiality and simplicity( The Spirit of God needs none of our
arrangements ,hen it pleases *im+ *e turns shepherds into Prophets+ and+ sofar from e)cluding any from the temple of prayer+ he thro,s ,ide the gates that
all may enter ,hile ,isdom is directed to cry aloud in the high,ays+ "Whoso is
simple let him turn in hither" 2 %rov( i)( 34 and to the fools she saith+ "ome eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which ( have min!led." 2 %rov( i)( #(4 /nd doth not
&esus >hrist himself than0 his Father for having "hid these thin!s from the wise
and prudent, and revealed them unto babes" 2 Matt ( )i( 8#(4
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C H A P T E R 22IV"
ON THE PASSIVE WAY TO DIVINE #NION"
IT is impossi%le to attain Divine nion+ solely %y the ,ay of meditation+ or of
the affections+ or %y any devotion+ no matter ho, illuminated( There are many
reasons for this+ the chief of ,hich are those ,hich follo,(
!( /ccording to Scripture+ "no man shall see God and live." 2 0od ( )))iii( 8(4 @o, all
the e)ercises of discursive prayer+ and even of active contemplation, regardedas an end+ and not as a mere preparative to that ,hich is passive+ are still living
e)ercises+ %y ,hich ,e cannot see God that is to say+ %e united ,ith him( /ll
that is of man and of his doing+ %e it never so no%le+ never so e)alted+ must first
%e destroyed(
St( &ohn relates that there ,as silence in heaven( 2 #ev( viii( !(4 @o, heaven
represents the ground and centre of the soul+ ,herein all must %e hushed to
silence ,hen the ma-esty of God appears( /ll the efforts+ nay+ the verye)istence+ of self+ must %e destroyed %ecause nothing is opposite to God+ %ut
self+ and all the malignity of man is in self:appropriation+ as the source of its
evil nature insomuch that the purity of a soul increases in proportion as it losesthis self:hood and that ,hich ,as a fault ,hile the soul lived in self:
appropriation+ is no longer such+ after it has ac.uired purity and innocence+ %y
departing from that self:hood+ ,hich caused the dissimilitude %et,een it andGod(
8( To unite t,o things so opposite as the purity of God and the impurity of thecreature+ the simplicity of God and the multiplicity of man+ much more is
re.uisite than the efforts of the creature( @othing less than an efficaciousoperation of the /lmighty can ever accomplish this for t,o things must have
some relation or similarity %efore they can %ecome one as the impurity of drosscannot %e united ,ith the purity of gold(
$( 'hat+ then+ does God do? *e sends his o,n 'isdom %efore *im+ as fire
shall %e sent upon the earth+ to destroy %y its activity all that is impure and asnothing can resist the po,er of that fire+ %ut it consumes everything+ so this
'isdom destroys all the impurities of the creature+ in order to dispose it for
divine union(
The impurity ,hich is so fatal to union consists in Self;appropriation and
2ctivity.
Self;appropriation %ecause it is the source and fountain of all that
defilement ,hich can never %e allied to essential purity as the rays
of the sun may shine+ indeed+ upon mire+ %ut can never %e united,ith it(
2ctivity for God %eing in an infinite stillness+ the soul+ in order to
%e united to *im+ must participate of his stillness+ else the
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contrariety %et,een stillness and activity ,ould prevent
assimilation(
Therefore+ the soul can never arrive at divine union %ut in the rest of its ,ill
nor can it ever %ecome one ,ith God+ %ut %y %eing re:esta%lished in central rest
and in the purity of its first creation(
3( God purifies the soul %y his 'isdom+ as refiners do metals in the furnace(
Gold cannot %e purified %ut %y fire+ ,hich gradually consumes all that is earthy
and foreign+ and separates it from the metal( It is not sufficient to fit it for use
that the earthy part should %e changed into gold it must then %e melted anddissolved %y the force of fire+ to separate from the mass every drossy or alien
particle and must %e again and again cast into the furnace+ until it has lost every
trace of pollution+ and every possi%ility of %eing farther purified(
The goldsmith cannot no, discover any adulterate mi)ture+ %ecause of its
perfect purity and simplicity( The fire no longer touches it and ,ere it to
remain an age in the furnace+ its spotlessness ,ould not %e increased+ nor itssu%stance diminished( It is then fit for the most e).uisite ,or0manship+ and if+
thereafter+ this gold seem o%scured or defiled+ it is nothing more than anaccidental impurity occasioned %y the contact of some foreign %ody+ and is only
superficial it is no hinderance to its employment+ and is ,idely different from
its former de%asement+ ,hich ,as hidden in the ground of its nature+ and+ as it
,ere+ identified ,ith it( Those+ ho,ever+ ,ho are uninstructed+ %eholding the pure gold sullied %y some e)ternal pollution+ ,ould %e disposed to prefer an
impure and gross metal+ that appeared superficially %right and polished(
#( Farther+ the pure and the impure gold are not mingled %efore they can %eunited+ they must %e e.ually refined the goldsmith cannot mi) dross and gold(
'hat ,ill he do+ then? *e ,ill purge out the dross ,ith fire+ so that the inferior
may %ecome as pure as the other+ and then they may %e united( This is ,hat St(Paul means+ ,hen he declares that "the fire shall try every man4s work of what
sort it is" 2&or ( iii !$4 he adds+ "(f any man4s work be burnt, he shall suffer loss,
but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." *e here intimates+ that there are,or0s so degraded %y impure mi)tures+ that though the mercy of God accepts
them+ yet they must pass through the fire+ to %e purged from self and it is in
this sense that God is said to e)amine and -udge our righteousness+ %ecause that
%y the deeds of the la, there shall no flesh %e -ustified %ut %y the righteousnessof God+ ,hich is %y faith in &esus >hrist( 2 #om( iii( 8+ etc(4
( Thus ,e may see that the divine -ustice and ,isdom+ li0e a pitiless anddevouring fire+ must destroy all that is earthly+ sensual+ and carnal+ and all self:
activity+ %efore the soul can %e united to its God( @o,+ this can never %e
accomplished %y the industry of the creature on the contrary+ he al,ayssu%mits to it ,ith reluctance %ecause+ as I have said+ he is so enamored of self+
and so fearful of its destruction+ that did not God act upon him po,erfully and
,ith authority+ he ,ould never consent(
5( It may+ perhaps+ %e o%-ected here+ that as God never ro%s man of his free ,ill+
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he can al,ays resist the divine operations and that I therefore err in saying God
acts absolutely, and without the consent of man.
Let me+ ho,ever+ e)plain( 1y manAs giving a passive consent, God+ ,ithout
usurpation+ may assume full po,er and an entire guidance for having+ in the
%eginning of his conversion+ made an unreserved surrender of himself to all that
God ,ills of him or %y him+ he there%y gave an active consent to ,hatever Godmight after,ards re.uire( 1ut ,hen God %egins to %urn+ destroy+ and purify+
the soul does not perceive that these operations are intended for its good+ %ut
rather supposes the contrary and+ as the gold at first seems rather to %lac0enthan %righten in the fire+ so it conceives that its purity is lost insomuch+ that if
an active and eplicit consent ,ere then re.uired+ the soul could scarcely give
it+ nay ,ould often ,ithhold it( /ll it does is to remain firm in its passiveconsent+ enduring as patiently as possi%le all these divine operations+ ,hich it is
neither a%le nor desirous to o%struct(
( In this manner+ therefore+ the soul is purified from all its self:originated+
distinct+ percepti%le+ and multiplied operations+ ,hich constitute a greatdissimilitude %et,een it and God it is rendered %y degrees conform, and then
uniform and the passive capacity of the creature is elevated+ enno%led+ and
enlarged+ though in a secret and hidden manner+ hence called mystical %ut in allthese operations the soul must concur passively( It is true+ indeed+ that in the
%eginning its activity is re.uisite from ,hich+ ho,ever+ as the divine operations
%ecome stronger+ it must gradually cease yielding itself up to the impulses of the divine Spirit+ till it is ,holly a%sor%ed in *im( 1ut this is a process ,hich
lasts a long time(
H( 'e do not+ then+ say+ as some have supposed+ that there is no need of activity
since+ on the contrary+ it is the gate at ,hich+ ho,ever+ we should not always
tarry+ since ,e ought to tend to,ards ultimate perfection+ ,hich isimpractica%le e)cept the first helps are laid aside for ho,ever necessary they
may have %een at the entrance of the road+ they after,ards %ecome greatly
detrimental to those ,ho adhere to them o%stinately+ preventing them from ever
attaining the end( This made St( Paul say+ "/or!ettin! those thin!s which arebehind, and reachin! forth to those which are before, ( press toward the mark,
for the pri8e of the hi!h callin! of God in hrist )esus." 2 %hil ( iii( !$(4
'ould you not say that he had lost his senses+ ,ho+ having underta0en a -ourney+ should fi) his a%ode at the first inn+ %ecause he had %een told that
many travellers had come that ,ay+ that some had lodged there+ and that the
masters of the house d,elt there? /ll that ,e ,ish+ then+ is+ that souls ,ould press toward the end + ta0ing the shortest and easiest road+ and not stopping at
the first stage( Let them follo, the counsel and e)ample of St( Paul+ and suffer
themselves "to be led by the Spirit of God +" 2 #om( viii( !3+4 ,hich ,ill infalli%lyconduct them to the end of their creation+ the en-oyment of God(
!( 1ut ,hile ,e confess that the en-oyment of God is the end for ,hich alone,e ,ere created+ and that every soul that does not attain divine union and the
purity of its creation in this life+ can only %e saved as %y fire+ ho, strange it is+
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that ,e should dread and avoid the process as if that could %e the cause of evil
and imperfection in the present life+ ,hich is to produce the perfection of glory
in the life to come(
!!( @one can %e ignorant that God is the Supreme Good that essential
%lessedness consists in union ,ith *im that the saints differ in glory+ according
as the union is more or less perfect and that the soul cannot attain this union %ythe mere activity of its o,n po,ers+ since God communicates *imself to the
soul+ in proportion as its passive capacity is great+ no%le and e)tensive( 'e can
only %e united to God in simplicity and passivity+ and as this union is %eatitudeitself+ the ,ay that leads us in this passivity cannot %e evil+ %ut must %e the most
free from danger+ and the %est(
!8( This ,ay is not dan!erous( 'ould &esus >hrist have made this the most perfect and necessary of all ,ays+ had it %een so? @o; all can travel it and as
all are called to happiness+ all are li0e,ise called to the en-oyment of God+ %oth
in this life and the ne)t+ for that alone is happiness( I say the en-oyment of God
himself+ and not of his gifts these latter do not constitute essential %eatitude+ asthey cannot fully content the soul it is so no%le and so great+ that the most
e)alted gifts of God cannot ma0e it happy+ unless the Giver also %esto,s
*imself( @o, the ,hole desire of the Divine 1eing is to give *imself to everycreature+ according to the capacity ,ith ,hich it is endo,ed and yet+ alas; ho,
reluctantly man suffers himself to %e dra,n to God; ho, fearful is he to prepare
for divine union;
!$( Some say+ that ,e must not place ourselves in this state. I grant it %ut I say
also+ that no creature could ever do it since it ,ould not %e possi%le for any+ %yall their o,n efforts+ to unite themselves to God it is *e alone must do it( It is
altogether idle+ then+ to e)claim against those ,ho are self:united+ as such a
thing cannot %e(
They say again+ that some may fei!n to have attained this state. @one can any
more feign this+ than the ,retch ,ho is on the point of perishing ,ith hunger
can+ for any length of time at least+ feign to %e full and satisfied( Some ,ish or ,ord+ some sigh or sign+ ,ill inevita%ly escape him+ and %etray that he is far
from %eing satisfied(
Since then none can attain this end %y their o,n la%or+ ,e do not pretend to
introduce any into it+ %ut only to point out the way that leads to it6 %eseeching
all not to become attached to the accommodations on the road, eternal
practices, which must all be left behind when the si!nal is !iven. Thee)perienced instructor 0no,s this+ points to the ,ater of life+ and lends his aid
to o%tain it( 'ould it not %e an un-ustifia%le cruelty to sho, a spring to a thirsty
man+ then %ind him so that he could not reach it+ and suffer him to die of thirst?
!3( This is -ust ,hat is done every day( Let us all agree in the '/=+ as ,e all
agree in the end+ ,hich is evident and incontroverti%le( The '/= has its
%eginning+ progress+ and termination and the nearer ,e approach theconsummation+ the farther is the %eginning %ehind us it is only %y leaving the
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one+ that ,e can arrive at the other( =ou cannot get from the entrance to a
distant place+ ,ithout passing over the intermediate space+ and+ if the end %e
good+ holy+ and necessary+ and the entrance also good+ ,hy should the
necessary passage+ the direct road leading from the one to the other+ %e evil?
6 the %lindness of the greater part of man0ind+ ,ho pride themselves on science
and ,isdom; *o, true is it+ 6 my God+ that thou hast hid these thin!s from thewise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes+
FINIS"
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