Quakerism a-la-mode, or, A history of quietism particularly that of the Lord Arch-bishop of Cambray and Madam Guyone ... also an account of the management of that controversie (now depending at Rome) betwixt the Arch-bishop's book / writ by Messire Jacques Benignes Bossuel [sic] ... ; done into English from the original printed at Paris.

Sect. 3. The second part of the Relation, contain∣ing what passed betwixt Mr. de Chaalons, and Mr. Tronson and my self.

1. VVHilst I was taken up with these thoughts, and labouring betwixt hope and fear, Madam Guyon turned the exami∣nation to quite another thing than what it was at first.

She took it in her head to have the accusations brought against her Morals, and the disorders that were imputed to her, examined. Upon this she wrote to that future Protectress, whom she thought to have seen in her Prophecy, beseeching her to beg of the King that some Commissioners should be appointed, with power to inform themselves, & to pronounce Judgment upon her Life. The Copy she sent me of her Letter, & that which she joyned to it, shew by their Dates, that this happened in June 1694. This was a design to fulfil her Predictions, and for that end Mad. Guyon gave a specious turn to the thing, dexterously in sinuating that she must be cleared of the Crimes she was accused of, with∣out which they would enter upon the examinati∣on of her Doctrine with too much prejudice. But it is not so easie a matter to surprize an enlightned Piety. It was soon perceiv'd by the Mediatress she had chosen, that this Proposal of the Commis∣siners, besides other inconveniences, shot wide of the Mark, which was to begin by examining the Doctrines contained in her Wrirings they had in hand, and in the Books where with the Church was overflowed, and so the Proposal dropt off it self: Madam Guyon yielded, and then demanded by her Friends the thing in the World that was most agreeable to me; viz. that to put an end to an examination of a thing of that importance, wherein the matter of Question must be through∣ly canvass'd, and a sort of prayer so pernicious, abolished, if possible; I should be associated with Mr. de Chaalons, now Archbishop of Paris, and

Mr. Tronson superior General of the Congrega∣tion of St. Sulpice. The Letter by which Madam Guyon acquaints me with this step, makes out to the full all the reasons that induced her to submit to those two Gentlemen and to my self. The last of 'em was unknown to me, except by his repu∣tation; But the Abbot of Fenelon and his Friends had a particular confidence in him. As for Mr. de Chaalons, it is known with what holy friendship he and I have always been united: He was also an intimate Friend to the Abbot of Fenelon. With such Collegues I hoped to compass all things. The King was acquainted with the thing so far as it related to Madam Guyon only, and approved of it. The Archbishop of Paris has explained what was written to him upon that account, and what he answered. The Books I had seen were delivered to those persons: The Abbot of Fenelon begun then very privately to write upon that matter. The Writings he sent us augmented every day; and without naming in them Madam Guyon or her Books; every thing he wrote tended to main∣tain or to excuse them: The thing really in que∣stion was those Books, and they made the sole Sub∣ject of our Meetings. The silent prayer of Ma∣dam Guyon was, that M. de Fenelon was for, and perhaps 'twas his own in a particular manner. That Lady did not forget her self, and during seven or eight month that we applied our selves to so serious a discussion; she sent us fifteen or six∣teen big Bundles, (which I have still) to make a parallel betwixt her Books, the holy Fathers, Di∣vines,

and the Spiritual Authors. All this was at∣tended with proffers of entire submission. The Ab∣bot of Fenelon took the trouble with some of his Friends to come to Iby, a house belonging to the Seminary of Sr. Sulpice, where we were obliged to hold our Conference, because of the infirmities of Mr. Tronson. They all desired that we would enter upon that examination throughly, and pro∣tested they would refer all to our Judgment. Ma∣dam Guyon testified the same submission by Letters full of respect, and afterwards our only care was to terminate that Affair very privately, so as to prevent all suspicion of any dissention in the Church.

2. We began to read, with more Prayers than Study, and with Groans, God knows, for all the Writing they sent us, especially those of the Abbot of Fenelon: To compare all the passages, and often to read over again whole Books how tedious and laborious soever the read∣ing thereof might be. The long extracts I have by me shew what attention we gave to an Affair, wherein really the Church was so nearly concern∣ed; seeing the thing in question was no less than to hinder the revival of Quietism, which we saw again appearing in the Kingdom, by the Writings of Madam Guyon which were spread over all.

3. We look upon it as the greatest misfortune of all, that she had the Abbot de Fenelon for her Defender: His Wit, his Eloquence, His Vertue, the place he filled, and those he was designed for.

Engaged us to labour with utmost diligence to reclaim him. We could not despair of success; for although he wrote to us things that we must own made us afraid, the memory where of is as fresh to those persons as to me; he mixed them with so many testimonies of submission, that we could not perswade our selves that God would deliver him up to a Spirit of Error. The Letters he wrote to me during the examination of this Book, and before we had come to a Final Resolution, breathed out nothing but obedience; and tho he surrendred himself entirely to those Gentle∣men: I must own here, that beside my being the President of the Conference, he semmed to ad∣dress himself to me with so particular a freedom, because we had been long used to treat together of the Theological matters in dispute: One of those Letters was conceived in the following terms.

4. I receive my Lord with—great acknowledgement the kindness you shew me. I can't but see that you are willing out of Charity to to settle my Heart in Peace: But I confess it seems to me, that you are somewhat afraid to give me a true and perfect security in my State. When ever you please I shall acquaint you as to my Confessor with whatever may be comprized in a General Confession of my whole Life, and of all that regards my inward State. When I besought you to tell me the truth, and not to spare me, it was neither for∣mal Complement, nor a trick to discover your senti∣ments; If I had a mind to use Art it should be in

other things, and we should not have come to this pass. I never desired any thing, but what I will ever wish, that is, if it be Gods will that I may know the Truth. I am a Priest, I owe all to the Church, and nothing to my self, nor to my personal Reputa∣tion. I declare to you still my Lord, That I wont abide in Error one moment through my own fault; If I don't abandon it without delay I declare it is you who are the cause of it, seeing you determine nothing to me. I do not value my place, but I am ready to leave it if I am rendred unworthy of it by my my Errors. I summon you in the Name of God, and for the Love you have to the truth, to tell it me in the utmost severity. I shall go and hide my self and do Pennance the remaining part of my Days; after having abjured and recanted the Erronious Doctrine that has seduced me; But if my Doctrine be innocent, do not keep me in sus∣pence out of some Humane Respect. To you it ap∣pertains to instruct with Authority those that are scandalized, because they know not the Operations of God in the Soul: You know with what confi∣dence I have delivered my self to you, and applied my self without intermission, that you should not be Ignorant of my strongest perswasions. There re∣mains nothing for me to do but to obey. For it is not the Man, or the most Grand Doctor that I esteem in you; it is God. And though you should mistake your self, my simple and upright obedience shall—not deceive me; and I account it as no∣thing to mistake, when I do it with Ʋprightness and Humility under the hand of those who have

Authority in the Church. Once more, my Lord, if you doubt never so little of my decible Temper withou reserve, be pleased to put it to the proof with∣out spairing me. Although your mind is more enlightned than that of any other Man. I pray to God, that he would be pleased to take away all your own Wisdom and to leave you none but that which is his.

5. Thus, you have the whole Letter word by word. And may see by his Offers to leave all, and to make a Solemn Recantation of what consequence the matter was, and how far he was engaged therein: Though he had not as yet writ any Defence of the new way of Prayer. I accept∣ed with joy the Prayer he made for me, that I might lose all my own Wisdom, which indeed I did not relie on; and I endeavoured to listen to nothing but Tradition.

Thus seeing the Abbot of Fenelon so well dis∣posed to submit, I look upon it as an injustice to entertain any doubt of his compliance. It never entred into my mind that the Errors wherein I saw him involv'd, tho' in themselves very impor∣tant and pernicious, could ever do him any injury, or debar him from the dignities of the Church. They were not afraid in the fourth Age to make the famous Synesius a Bishop, tho' he confessed many Errors; they knew him so well disposed and so full of compliance, that they did not so much as think that those Errors, tho' Capital ones, ought to be an obstacle to his Promotion. I do not speak thus to justifie my self: I only set down

the matter of fact, the judgment whereof I refer to those who consider it: If they will defer their Judgment until they have seen the effect of the whole, they will do me a great favour. Every thing here depends upon what follows; so that 'tis not possible for me to conceal any thing from the Reader, without involving all in darkness. Moreover, the compliance of Synesius was no greater than that which the Abbot of Fenelon shewed. Another of his Letters contain these words.

6.

I cannot forbear to ask you with a full submission, whether you have at present any thing to require of me. I conjure you in the Name of God, not to have any regard for me in any thing; and without expecting the Con∣ference you promise me, if you now believe that I owe any thing to the Truth, and to the Church wherein I am a Priest, one word with∣out Arguments shall suffice. I hold only one thing which is simple obedience, so that my Con∣science is in yours. If I do amiss, it is you who make me to err for want of advising me. It is your part to answer for me if I continue one mo∣ment in the Error. I am ready to be silent, to recant, to accuse my self, and even to retire, if I have fail'd as to what I owe to the Church. In a word, regulate me in whatever you please; and if you do not believe me, take me at my word to entangle me. After such declaration I think I ought not to conclude with Comple∣ments.

7. In another Letter, he said:

I have already besought you not to delay one mo∣ment, out of any respect to me, the deci∣sion that I beg of you. If you are resolved to condemn any part of the Doctrine I have exposed to you, out of obedience, I beseech you to do it with as much speed as you shall be desir'd. I had as good, nay, rather recant to Day than to Morrow.

The rest was to the same purpose, and con∣cluded with these words:

Deal with me as with a School-boy, without minding ei∣ther my place, or your ancient Kindnesses towards me. I shall be all my life full of Acknowledgement and Compliance, if you deliver me, as soon as possible, out of Er∣ror. God forbid I should propose this, to engage you into a precipitant Decision, to the disadvantage of Truth; I only wish you would not delay at all on my ac∣count.

8. Those Letters were written to me by the Abbot of Fenclon, betwixt the 12th of December, 1694. and the 26th of January 1695. during which time we were draw∣ing up the Articles. Having read all the Writings, as well those of Madam Guyon, as of Monsieur Fenelon, wherein we com∣prised the Condemnation of all the Errors we found in t'one and t'other; weighing all the Words, and endeavouring not only to resolve all the Difficulties that appeared,

but also to prevent by Principles, those that might arise afterwards. We were at first, after the reading of the Writings, for Conversation by word of Mouth; but we feared lest by bringing things to a Dispute, we should sooner exasperate, than be able to instruct a Person whom God was pleas∣to lead into a better Way, which was that of an Absolute Submission. He wrote thus himself to us, in a Letter I have yet by me:

Spare your selves the trouble of entring upon that Discussion: Take the thing in gross, and begin by supposing that I have mistaken my self in my Cita∣tions. I forsake them all; I don't pre∣tend either to understand Greek, or to make fine Arguments upon Passages: I insist only upon those that you think may deserve some regard: Pronounce my Judg∣ment according to those, and give a De∣cision upon the essential Points; after which, the remaining part will be of little moment.

By this it may be perceiv∣ed, that we had declared our selves enough upon his Writings. He had explained him∣self therein so thoroughly, that we per∣fectly comprehended his Sentiments. We met every day; we agreed so well on the Point, that there was no need of a long Discourse. Notwithstanding, we carefully collected what the Abbot of Fenelon had told us at the beginning, and what he spoke

upon occasion. We dealt plainly, as is u∣sual among Friends, without taking any ad∣vantage one of another; and so much the more, because we our selves, whom they took for Arbitrators, had no other Authority over the Abbot of Fenelon than what he himself gave us. It seem'd that God made his Heart sensible of the Way we were to follow, in order to re∣claim him gently, without offedning so fine and acute a Spirit. The Examinauion last∣ed long: It is true, the Necessities of our Diocesses caused some interruption to our Conferences. As to the Abbot of Fenelon, we had rather not to have given him a∣ny trouble at all about his Opinions, than to seem to have condemned him rashly, and before we had heard all his defences. It was something of a Blow given to them, to hold them as supicious, and to subject them to Examination. The Abbot of Fen∣elon had reason indeed to tell us, That af∣ter all, we knew not his Opinions any o∣ther way but by himself. As he could have conceal'd them from us, so the freedom wherewith he discover'd them, was to us a mark of his docible temper; and we concealed them so much the more carefully, the more freely he discover'd them to us.

9. So that during all the time we three treated of that Affair with him, that is, for Eight or Ten Months, the Secret was no less

impenetrable than it had been during the time that I alone was upon it. It must be confess'd here, that the least whisper to the King, of the Abbot de Fenelon's favour∣ing M. Guyon and her Doctrine, would have produced strange effects in the Mind of a Prince so Religious, so nice as to mat∣tets of Faith, and so circumspect in fil∣ling up the great Places of the Church; and the least that this Abbot must have ex∣pected from it, had been an unavoidable exculsion from all Dignities. But we did not so much as suspect (at least for my part I own it) that any thing was to be feared from a Man, whose return was thought so sure, his Mind so docible, and his Intentions so upright; and whether it were by Rea∣son, or prepossession; or if you will, through Error: (For I rather here make a publick Confession, than seek to defend my self) I thought the Instruction of the Princes of France in too good a hand, not to do, on this occasion, whatever might conduce to the Keeping of so important a Trust there∣in.

10. I carried that Confidence to the high∣est pitch, as will be known by the fol∣lowing Discourse. It was the Will of God, perhaps to humble me: And perhaps also, I sin'd by putting too much confidence in the Knowledge I believ'd a Man endowed with; or else, that in reality, I thought

I might put confidence in the strength of Truth, and power of Grace; I spoke with too much assurance of a thing that surpas∣sed my Power: However we acted upon that ground, and as we were labouring to reclaim a Friend, so we applyed our selves with a scrupulous regard to manage his precious Reputation.

11. It was this that inspired us with the Design you shall hear of presently. We thought our selves obliged, in order to set bounds to his Thoughts, to restrict him by some thing under his hand; but, at the same time, we proposed to our selves, in order to avoid making him look like one that retracted, to have him sign with us as an Associate in our Delibera∣tions. We had no other design in any re∣spect, but how to save such a Friend; and we were unanimously agreed for his Advantage.

12. A little while after, he was named to the Archbishoprick of Cambray. We applauded the Choice, as did every body else, and he continu'd nevertheless in that way of submission God put him in: The higher he was to be raised upon the Can∣dlestick, the more I thought he should at∣tain to that great splendor, and to the grace of the Episcopal State, through the humble compliance we saw in him. So we continued the forming of our Sentence;

and he of his own accord begg'd if of us with the same humility. The Four and Thirty Articles that were drawn up at Issy in our private Conferences, Mon∣siur de Chaalons and I, presented to the new Prelate in my Apartment at Versailles. The Archbishop of Paris has expressed in his Answer to the Archhishop of Cambray, how uneasie he was in reading it. We told him without disputing, with an Epis∣copal sincerity, how he ought to dispose of the Writings he had sent us in so great numbers; he said not a word; and not∣withstanding the reluctancy he had shew∣ed, he offer'd that very moment, to sign the Articles meerly out of obedience. We thought it more fit to put them into his hands, that he might peruse them some time. Tho' they went to the quick, or ra∣ther indeed overthrew the Foundation of the new way of Prayer; yet their Prin∣ciples being clear, we thought that the Ab∣bot of Fenelon would not contradict them, when once he understood them. He brought us some restrictions to every Article, which eluded all the strength of them; and the ambiguity thereof did not only render them useless, but also dangerous; we did not think fit to admit them. My Lord of Cambray yielded, and the Articles were Signed at Issy, at M. Tronsons, the 10th of March, 1695.

13. When the Archbishop of Cambray says in his Answer to our Declaration, that he drew up the Articles with us; I am sorry he has forgotten those holy Dispo∣sitions God had then put him into. It has been seen by the Letters he wrote, during the time we were busie in drawing those Articles, that he begg'd a Decision without Arguments. If we came to be of that Opinion. I desire those that read this, not to impute it to any haughtiness or disdian. God forbid! on any other occasion we would have accounted it an honour to deliberate with a Man of so much Light and Merit, who was moreover going to be received into our Episcopal Body, but at that time God shewed him another way; which was, that he must obey without ex∣amining. Men must be led in the Path which it pleases God to open unto them, and by the Disposition his grace puts into their Hearts. Therefore the first time M. de Cambray spoke of our Thirty Four Ar∣ticles, (which was in the Advertisement of the Book of the Maxims of the Saints) he mentions only two Prelates, Monsieur de Chaalous and I, that had drawn them up, without thinking then that he should name himself as one of the Authors. He remember'd the disposition of Mind we were all in when we sign'd. Thus you have an Account of the little Mystery we

were put upon meerly in regard to his Advantage. I hear his Friends give out, that this was as a secret of Confession a∣mong us, which he would not discover, and that we have revealed it. Never any such thing came into our thoughts, nor did we imagin any other Secret but that only of having a regard to his Honour, and of his retractation under a more spe∣cious Title. If he had not declared him∣self too much in his Book, and then for∣ced our silence, that Secret should still have lain in Darkness.

We have seen how in one of his Let∣ters he offer'd to make a general Confes∣sion to me; he well knows that I never accepted that offer. Whatever could have relation to Secrets of that nature, upon his inward disposition, is forgotten, and will never be call'd in question. The Arch∣bishop of Cambray insinuates in some of his Writings, that I made nice Exceptions to some of his Restrictions, and that the Arch∣bishop of Paris took me up sharply for it. We have then both of us forgotten it, since we have no Idea of it left in our Minds: We were all along so una∣nimous, that we never had any occasion to perswade one another, and being wholly guided by the same Spirit of Tra∣dition, we were all the time of one and the same mind.

14. The Archbishop of Cambray continued so stedfast in the spirit of submission God had put him into, that, having desir'd me to Consecrate him, two days before that divine Formality, kneeling and kissing the Hand that was to Consecrate him, he took it to witness that he would never enter∣tain any other Doctrine but mine. I was cordial, and I dare say it, more at his Devotion than he was at mine. But I received that submission as I had done all others of the same nature, which are still to be seen in his Letters. My Age, my being older in Orders than he, the simplicity of my Sentiments conformable to those of the Church, and the Person I was to act, gave me that confidence. M. de Chaalons was desired to be one of the Assistants in the Ceremony, and we thought we should give the Church a Prelate, of the same mind with those that Consecrated him.

15. I don't believe that M. de Cambray will forget this praise-worthy Circumstance of his submission. After the signing of the Articles, and about the time of his Consecration, he desir'd me to keep, at least some of his Writings, to serve as an Evidence against him, if ever he should stray from our Sentiments. I was far from that spirit of mistrust. No Sir, said I, I will never use any other precaution with you than to take your word. I gave

back all the Papers as they were given me, not keeping so much as one, nor a∣ny other thing except my extracts for a memorandum of the Errors I was to con∣fute, without naming the Author. As for the Letters that belonged to me, I kept some of them as has been seen, rather for my comfort, than that I believed I should ever have need of them, except perhaps for M. Cambray, to put him in mind of his holy Submissions, in case he should be tempted to forget them; that they are now published, is really ow∣ing to pure Necessity, which compelled me to speak more than I would. The protestation he made to me a little before his Consecration, should also have been kept in silence as well as the rest, if it had not come to the King's Ears, that advantage was made of it, and that they made as if I confirmed the Doctrine of the Book of the Maxims of the Saints, be∣cause I had Consecrated the Author.

16. A little before the Publishing of that Book an Affair happen'd that gave me a great deal of Trouble. In my Pa∣storal Instructions of the 16th of April, 1695, I had promised a larger one to explain our Articl••s, and I desired the Archbishop of Cambray to join his Ap∣probation to that of M. de Chaalons, then promoted to the See of Paris, and to that

of M. de Chartres, for the Book I design'd for that Explication. Seeing we are to name here the Bishop of Chartres, I must take notice he was the first of the Bishops of that neighbourhood, who discover'd the evil Effects of the Books and Conduct of Madam Guyon. The Consequences of that Affair made us concur together in many things; as for the Archbishop of Paris, I was so much the more obliged to sup∣port my self by his Authority, because for the good of our Province, he was be∣come the Chief of it. I thought also, it was for the publick Edification, that our unanimity with M. de Cambray should be known more and more every where I put my Book, in Manuscript, into the Hands of that Bishop: I expected his Excepti∣ons, and to correct my self according to his Advice: I found in my self, I thought, the same compliance for him that he had shewed to me before his Consecration: But about three Weeks after, his Appro∣bation was refused me, and that too for such a Reason as was far from my being able to foresee. A Friend to us both gave me, in the Gallery of Versailles, a Letter of Credentials from the Archbishop of Cam∣bray, who was in his Diocese. Upon which I was given to understand, that that Pre∣late could not enter into the Approbati∣tion

of my Book, because I therein con∣demned Madam Guyon, whom he could not condemn.

17. It was in vain for me to repre∣sent unto that Friend the Incovenience that M. de Cambray would fall into. What! it will appear, said I, that to sustain M. Guy∣on, he disunites himself from his Brethren? then all the World will see that he is her Protector; the suspicion wherewith he was dis∣honoured abroad, will now be found a cer∣tainty? What becomes of those fine Discour∣ses we so often had of M. de Cambray, and which he and his Friends spread abroad; as that he was so far from being concerned in the Books of that Woman, that he was ready to condemn them if it were necessary? Now that she had condemned them her self; that she had, before me, subscribed the Con∣demnation of them, together with the Evil Doctrine contained in them; would he counte∣nance them more than her felf? In what amazement will the World be, to find at the head of my Book, the Approbation of the Arch∣bishop of Paris, and of the Bishop of Chartres, without his? Was not that the way to make the signs of his Division from his Brethren manifest? his Consecrators, his most inti∣mate Friends? What Scandal, what Reproach to his Name? Of what Books would he be∣come

the Martyr? why would he bereave the People of the comfort of seeing in the Approbation of that Prelate, the solemn Testi∣mony of our unanimity? All these Reasons had no effect; my Manuscript was resto∣red to me again, having staid three whole Weeks in the hands of M. de Cambray. The Friend that had taken upon him to give it me again, said he had kept it for most part of the time himself, and that M. de Cambray had it but few days, and gave it back without having read much of it. I wrote a few Lines to that Pre∣late, intimating to him my just Fears. I received an Answer that signifi'd nothing, and then he had begun to prepare what you shall see afterwards.

18. You would perhaps know beforehand what was become of M. Guyon. She had desired to be received into my Diocese, in order to be there instructed. She was six Months in the Holy Convent of the Damsels of St. Mary, upon condition she should have no communication with any person whosoever, either within or without, by Letter or otherwise, save only with the Confessor I appointed her according to her Desire, and with two Nuns I had chosen, one of whom was the venerable Mother le Picard, a most prudent Woman, Supe∣rior of that Monastery. Seeing all her

Letters and Discourses breathed out no∣thing but submission, and a blind submis∣sion, we could not refuse her the use of the Holy Sacraments. I instructed her di∣ligently; she subcribed the Articles where she plainly saw they utterly condemn'd her Doctrine: I rejected her Explications, and her submission was pure and simple. A little after she subscribed the just Censure that M. de Chaalons and I published against her Books, and the Evil Doctrine con∣tain'd in them, condemning them with Heart and Mouth, as if each Proposition had been expresly utter'd. Some of the chief of 'em were specified that compri∣sed all the rest, and she renounced them in plain terms. The Books she condemn∣ed, were the Short Method, and the Song of Songs, which were the only Printed Books she owned: I would not meddle with the Manuscripts that were not known abroad: She offer'd at every word to burn them all; but I thought that precaution needless, because of the Copies that re∣main'd. So I satisfi'd my self with for∣bidding her to communicate them, or to write of 'em to others; or to teach, dogmatise, or direct, condemning her to si∣lence, and retirement as she desired. I received the Declaration she made against the Abominations she was accused of, pre∣suming

her to be innocent, as long as she was not Convicted by a lawful Examina∣tion whereupon never enter'd. She asked me leave to go to the Waters of Bour∣bon; after her submissions she was free: She desired to be received after her re∣turn from the Waters into the same Mo∣nastery, where she kept her Apartment. I granted it one design to instruct, and tho∣roughly to convert her, without leaving her, if possible, not so much as the least tincture of the Visions and Delusions past. I gave her that attestation her Friends so much bragg'd of abroad; but she never durst shew it, because I expresly specified therein, that Account of the Declarations and Submissions of M. Guyon, which we had by us, subscribed by her own Hand: and of the Prohibitions accepted by her with submission, neither to Write, Teach, nor Dogmatise in the Church, nor to spread abroad her Printed Books, or Manuscripts, nor to lead People into the way of her silent Prayer, or otherwise. I was satisfi∣ed with her Conduct, and had continu'd her in the participation of the Holy Sa∣craments, wherein I found her. This At∣testation was dated the First of July, 1695. I set out the next day for Paris, where we were to advise what course we should take concerning her for the future: I

shall not recount how she went off before the day I had fixed for her departure, nor how she since absconded her self; how she was taken again, and convicted of seve∣ral things contrary to what she had signed. What I cannot conceal is, that she set up always for a Prophetess; I have in her Wri∣tings sign'd with her own hand, that God had put into her disposal the life of such as oppose themselves to her Visions: She has made Prelates and Archbishops, far different from those the Holy Ghost hath chosen: She has also made such Predicti∣ons as would strike horror into those that hear them. You have already seen what she had foretold as to the Protection of her Silent Prayer by the King himself: She has since given out, that after what she calls Persecution, her Prayers would spring up again under a Child: The Prophecy has been taken notice of to the August Infant, without making any Impression upon his Mind. God forbid I should accuse M. de Cambray, nor the wise Heads that are a∣bout that lovely Prince, of the Discourses that have been made to him concerning it; but there are amongst all Parties, Peo∣ple of outragious tempers, who speak with∣out measure or aim, and that sort of People spread Reports abroad, that the times will change, and thus they frighten the simple.

You see then plainly, the Reasons I have to write those Circumstances: You see in whose presence it is I write them, and why, at last, I make a Woma nknown, who is at present a cause of Divisions in the Church.

14. M. de Cambray, during the time of our examination, spoke of her in different manners; he has often frighten'd us, when he said to two or three of us together, that he had learnt more from her than from all the Doctors together; and at o∣ther times he comforted us, saying, he was so far from approving her Books, that he was rather ready to condemn them, if it were thought necessary in the least; I doubted no more of his Conversion upon this point than upon the rest; and seek∣ing nothing else but to convince throughly of his Errors a Man of parts, by a me∣thod so much the more sincere as it was meek, and without compulsion: I wished he might come, of his own accord, to himself again, as it were from a short fit of giddiness; and we thought fit to defer the proposing to him the express con∣demnation of the Books of that Woman, 'till such time as he could do it without reluctancy. Thus you have an Account of those unmerciful Men, and of those Per∣sons that envied the glory of M. de Cam∣bray;

those that had a mind to ruin him; that have carried their severity so far, as it's impossible the relation of it can find Be∣lief amongst Men. Let the time at least be instanc'd when that madness seiz'd us. They might well have found fault that we spared him too much, shew'd him too much meekness, and were guilty of too much compliance: Let it be so, and I will own it; and, to speak only of my self, that I carried my Confidence, the love of Peace, and that benign Charity which suspects no evil, too far; hitherto it re∣mains at least an uncontroverted Truth, That the Archbishop of Cambray disuni∣ted himself from his Brethren, to maintain Madam Guyon against them.