Sketch of Her Life
Jeannie Marie Mothe, the maiden name of Madam Guyon, was born at Montargis, in France, April 13, 1648. She was married to M. J. Guyon, in 1664, and became the mother of four children. In July, 1676, she was separated from her husband by death. Madam Guyon was one of that number, who, in advance of the common standard of piety, are called to be _Reformers_; and on this account, she suffered great persecutions. She was several times imprisoned. At one time eight months; and subsequently four years in one of the towers of the celebrated Bastile. After her release from prison, she was banished for the remainder of her days to Blois, on the river Loire. At the time of her release from the Bastile, she was fifty-four years of age. Her sufferings from the cold, damp walls of the prison, in winter, and the confined air in summer, with other privations and hardships, greatly impaired her constitution, and rendered her a sufferer to the close of her days. She died June 9, 1717, aged sixty-nine years.
During her imprisonment, she wrote her Autobiography, which has been translated into English. Another work of hers, "The Torrents," has recently been translated, very happily, by Mr. Ford. Also two essays, "Method of Prayer," and "Concise View of the Way of God," by J. W. Metcalf. It is not known by the writer, that her other works have been translated, with the exception of some of her poems by William Cowper; and "The Life and Experience of Madam Guyon," in two volumes, written by my husband.
P. L. U.
CONTENTS.
1. REIGN OF CHRIST IN THE HEART 2. TURN AWAY FROM SELF TO CHRIST 3. STATE OF ASSURANCE 4. HUMILITY THE EFFECT OF LOVE 5. DIVINE COMMUNICATIONS 6. JOY IN PERSECUTIONS 7. LIBERTY IN CHRIST 8. MELANCHOLY AVOIDED 9. GOD'S CARE OF THE SOUL 10. POWER OF THE ADVERSARY 11. UNCTION OF GRACE 12. SPIRITUAL ONENESS 13. VICISSITUDES IN EXPERIENCE 14. PATIENCE WITH THE FAULTS OF OTHERS 15. HOW TO DISTINGUISH THE MOVEMENTS OF GOD 16. STATE OF SIMPLICITY 17. QUENCHING THE SPIRIT 18. SUFFERING CRUCIFIXION AND REDUCTIONS OF SELF 19. REPROVE IN LOVE 20. SILENT OPERATION OF GRACE 21. LIMIT NOT YOUR SPHERE 22. SECRET OF DIVINE OPERATIONS 23. NO UNION WITH SELFISH SOULS 24. NEVER YIELD TO DISCOURAGEMENT 25. WEAKNESSES. IMPERFECTIONS 26. STATE OF ADVANCEMENT 27. GREATNESS OF SPIRITUAL POVERTY 28. ASSISTANCE RENDERED 29. SIMPLICITY AND POWER OF THE WORD 30. FORGETFULNESS OF SELF 31. DIVERSITY OF MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION 32. COMFORT IN AFFLICTION 33. BEARING FRUIT IN UNION WITH CHRIST 34. DESOLATE STATE 35. SELF-ABANDONMENT 36. NO DEPENDENCE ON INSTRUMENTS 37. CHILD OF GOD, SOON TO DIE 38. UNION OF SOULS IN GOD 39. SECRET OPERATIONS OF GRACE 40. TO A YOUNG FRIEND 41. FINAL LETTER TO HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE 42. GLORY OF GOD, THE ONE DESIRE 43. SPIRITUAL UNION AND AID 44. LIVE IN THE PRESENT 45. HOW TO ADMINISTER REPROOF 46. BEARING THE STATES OF CHRIST 47. IMPERFECTIONS NO HINDRANCE 48. DEATH, RESURRECTION 49. GRACE DEEPLY INTERIOR 50. SELF-RENUNCIATION 51. UNEXPECTED FAULTS 52. APOSTOLIC STATE 53. PAINFUL EXPERIENCE 54. ECSTASY OF THE MIND AND HEART 55. A VIEW OF SELF 56. STATE OF A SOUL IN UNION WITH GOD 57. STATE OF REST IN GOD 58. GREAT HUMILIATIONS 59. REPOSE OF THE SOUL IN GOD 60. POWER OF CASTING OUT DEVILS 61. STATE OF A SOUL RE-UNITED TO GOD 62. CONCISE VIEW OF THE INTERIOR WAY
SELECTIONS FROM HER POETRY.
63. A LITTLE BIRD I AM 64. GOD EVERYWHERE
Footnotes
1 Madame Jeanne Guyon (1648–1717) was a French mystic and writer whose teachings on interior prayer and self-abandonment to God profoundly influenced Christian spirituality. Imprisoned in the Bastille for her beliefs, she endured years of suffering with extraordinary grace. Her writings, composed largely as personal letters of spiritual direction, have guided seekers of the deeper life for three centuries. She is one of Le's devotional companions through the library at books.ledamorais.org.