the disciples of Michael de Molinos, a Spanish priest, who
flourished in the seventeenth century, and wrote a book called “The
Spiritual Guide.” He had many disciples in Spain, Italy, France, and the
Netherlands. Some pretend that he borrowed his principles from the
Spanish Illuminati; and M. Gregoire will have it that they came
originally from the Persian Soofees; while others no less confidently
derive them from the Greek Hesycasts. The Quietists, however, deduce
their principles from the Scriptures. They argue thus: “The Apostle
tells us, that ‘the Spirit makes intercession for’ or _in_ ‘us.’ Now if
the Spirit pray in us, we must resign ourselves to his impulses, by
remaining in a state of absolute rest, or quietude, till we attain the
perfection of the unitive life,” a life of union with, and, as it should
seem, of absorption in, the Deity. They contend, that true religion
consists in the present calm and tranquillity of a mind removed from all
external and finite things, and centered in God; and in such a pure love
of the supreme Being, as is independent of all prospect of interest or
reward. To prove that our love to the Deity must be disinterested, they
allege, that the Lord hath made all things for himself, as saith the
Scripture; and it is for his glory that he wills our happiness. To
conform, therefore, to the great end of our creation, we must prefer God
to ourselves, and not desire our own happiness but for his glory;
otherwise we shall go contrary to his order. As the perfections of the
Deity are intrinsically amiable, it is our glory and perfection to go
out of ourselves, to be lost and absorbed in the pure love of infinite
beauty. Madam Guion, a woman of fashion in France, born 1648, becoming
pious, was a warm advocate of these principles. She asserted, that the
means of arriving at this perfect love, are prayer and the self-denial
enjoined in the Gospel. Prayer she defines to be the entire bent of the
soul toward its divine origin. Some of her pious canticles were
translated by the poet Cowper, and represent her sentiments to the best
advantage. Fenelon, the amiable archbishop of Cambray, also favoured
these sentiments in his celebrated publication, entitled, “The Maxims of
the Saints.” The distinguishing tenet in his theology was the doctrine
of the disinterested love of God for his own excellencies, independent
of his relative benevolence: an important feature also in the system of
Madam Guion, who, with the good archbishop, was persecuted by the pope
and by Bossuet. See MYSTICS.
flourished in the seventeenth century, and wrote a book called “The
Spiritual Guide.” He had many disciples in Spain, Italy, France, and the
Netherlands. Some pretend that he borrowed his principles from the
Spanish Illuminati; and M. Gregoire will have it that they came
originally from the Persian Soofees; while others no less confidently
derive them from the Greek Hesycasts. The Quietists, however, deduce
their principles from the Scriptures. They argue thus: “The Apostle
tells us, that ‘the Spirit makes intercession for’ or _in_ ‘us.’ Now if
the Spirit pray in us, we must resign ourselves to his impulses, by
remaining in a state of absolute rest, or quietude, till we attain the
perfection of the unitive life,” a life of union with, and, as it should
seem, of absorption in, the Deity. They contend, that true religion
consists in the present calm and tranquillity of a mind removed from all
external and finite things, and centered in God; and in such a pure love
of the supreme Being, as is independent of all prospect of interest or
reward. To prove that our love to the Deity must be disinterested, they
allege, that the Lord hath made all things for himself, as saith the
Scripture; and it is for his glory that he wills our happiness. To
conform, therefore, to the great end of our creation, we must prefer God
to ourselves, and not desire our own happiness but for his glory;
otherwise we shall go contrary to his order. As the perfections of the
Deity are intrinsically amiable, it is our glory and perfection to go
out of ourselves, to be lost and absorbed in the pure love of infinite
beauty. Madam Guion, a woman of fashion in France, born 1648, becoming
pious, was a warm advocate of these principles. She asserted, that the
means of arriving at this perfect love, are prayer and the self-denial
enjoined in the Gospel. Prayer she defines to be the entire bent of the
soul toward its divine origin. Some of her pious canticles were
translated by the poet Cowper, and represent her sentiments to the best
advantage. Fenelon, the amiable archbishop of Cambray, also favoured
these sentiments in his celebrated publication, entitled, “The Maxims of
the Saints.” The distinguishing tenet in his theology was the doctrine
of the disinterested love of God for his own excellencies, independent
of his relative benevolence: an important feature also in the system of
Madam Guion, who, with the good archbishop, was persecuted by the pope
and by Bossuet. See MYSTICS.