Preface.

life of the Spirit and of faith with great eagerness; one can therefore also rightly expect that the writings and letters of Mr. Bertot Jean Bertot (1622–1681), a French mystic and the spiritual director of Madame Guyon published here—as a close friend and spiritual son of Mr. Bernières Jean de Bernières-Louvigny (1602–1659), an influential French mystic whose works were popular in Pietist circles—will likewise find their admirers and provide great benefit. This is because they contain the very same teachings and bear no less essential witness to his insights and experiences in the ways of the inner life

toward God

and especially of passive or "suffering" prayer passive or suffering prayer: from the German "leidsames Gebät," referring to a state of contemplation where the soul is not active but "suffers" or undergoes the action of God, in bare and naked faith naked faith: a state of pure belief stripped of all emotional comforts, intellectual images, or sensory perceptions. They also testify to the excellent gifts he received from GOD to lead those souls capable of such grace into these ways, and to encourage and strengthen those who have already gained entrance, while protecting both from all delusion.

Whoever has read the autobiography of Madame Guyon Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de la Motte-Guyon (1648–1717), a famous French mystic associated with Quietism written by herself will undoubtedly have noticed therein that Mr. Bertot was her spiritual director almost the entire time that divine love [was leading] her