In this upbeat, abridged edition of the classic, Jeanne Guyon explains short, easy, and effective methods of prayer.She discovered the great difference between praying to God and experiencing God through prayer. She shares secrets of this higher plane of fellowship with God.In addition, she shows you how to enjoy God's presence, grow in your knowledge of the Word, experience rest from worry, and gain wisdom and understanding. You will discover the joy of a quiet heart and mind, learn how to survive your "dry" periods of prayer, and become content where God has placed you.The sparkling gems of truth in this book were never meant to be read and put back on the bookshelf. They will compel you to share them with the world.

A Short and Easy Method of Prayer was originally circulated privately but proved to be so popular that it was finally made available to the public in 1685. Written by French mystic, writer, and preacher MADAME JEANNE-MARIE BOUVIER DE LA MOTTE-GUYON (1648-1717), this brief treatise is divided into 24 chapters, each chapter a step along the path to God. These clear and simple precepts-translated from the French by Thomas D. Brook and published in English in this edition in 1867-were written with the average person in mind, and include Madame Guyon's thoughts on meditation, self-abandonment, suffering, self-examination, distractions and temptations, prayer as a sacrifice, the distinction between inward and outward acts, and more. Madame Guyon's words of encouragement will inspire the modern reader much as they inspired her 17th-century counterpart.

The writers were considered dangerous-heretics even. They were imprisoned-banished-exiled. Their crime? They were teaching that Christians could experience inner communion with God through something they called "inward prayer." Later their writings would be read and recommended by such spiritual giants as John Wesley, Hudson Taylor and Watchman Nee. A Guide to True Peace captures the essence of their teachings and makes them accessible in a small, readable volume. It was first published almost two hundred years ago, at the dawn of the Industrial Age, as a guide for believers seeking to know what it means to abide in Christ and live with an active knowledge of the presence of God. Many have considered it a devotional classic, including A. W. Tozer, who added it to his recommended reading list. The book begins by emphasizing the truth that God dwells within all believers, and then goes on to talk about what it means to allow that divine Spirit to have His full sway in our lives through denial of self, submission, and obedience. It also considers the blessings of faith and inward prayer, and how the practical results of such a life will lead us into divine union with Almighty God. This union is the place of true peace. In these days of uncertainty and turmoil, it is of great importance that the followers of Jesus Christ know what it means to have personal communion with Him. The principles in this little book, if meditated upon and applied, will be of great help to all who are wholeheartedly seeking more of God. This first Kingsley Press edition is based on the W. Alexander edition (York, England) of 1815 and has been sensitively edited for the modern reader by Bruce Garrison.

She came from an unsettled childhood and loveless marriage to her controversial years of ministry in France, Switzerland and Savoy. What was it that motivated this noblewoman, keeping her faithful to her unpopular beliefs and causing her to rest joyfully in God's will even in the shadow of dungeon walls? Jeanne Guyon was a woman who understood the cost of the words: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The influence of Jeanne Guyon has never wavered with the passing of centuries. Three hundred years later she is still one of the most influential people in the lives of those who seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. In reading this book, you will notice that Jeanne Guyon presents a more inward, Christ-centered perspective than is usually found in our present-day concept of Christian commentaries. Here is her commentary on the book of Song of Solomon as seen from the principles and dynamics of the deeper Christian life.

A collection of five inspiring essays by three closely linked mystical thinkers of the seventeenth century Fran ois F nelon, Madame Guyon, and P re Lacombe whose focus on the availability of intimacy with God made them scandalous in their day. Christian Counsel and Spiritual Letters, by Archbishop F nelon, offer wise advice on how to find the keys to true devotion and peace. Method of Prayer and On the Way to God, by F nelon's close friend, Madame Guyon, demonstrate the critical importance of constant prayer. Spiritual Maxims, by P re Lacombe, the spiritual mentor of Madame Guyon, emphasizes the importance of expressing a passionate love for God. Each stirring work is divided into short chapters, making Spiritual Progress ideal for morning or evening devotions, or for Bible study. This treasured collection of classic Christian wisdom is certain to lead readers closer to the heart of God.

She came from an unsettled childhood and loveless marriage to her controversial years of ministry in France, Switzerland and Savoy. What was it that motivated this noblewoman, keeping her faithful to her unpopular beliefs and causing her to rest joyfully in God's will even in the shadow of dungeon walls? Jeanne Guyon was a woman who understood the cost of the words: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. The influence of Jeanne Guyon has never wavered with the passing of centuries. Three hundred years later she is still one of the most influential people in the lives of those who seek a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. In reading this book, you will notice that Jeanne Guyon presents a more inward, Christ-centered perspective than is usually found in our present-day concept of Christian commentaries. Here is her commentary on the book of Genesis as seen from the principles and dynamics of the deeper Christian life.

Guyon's theology and spiritual writing opened new doors to people from all walks of life who yearned for spiritual joy and wisdom. These new translations include her popular "A Short and Easy Method of Prayer," as well as her biblical commentary on the Song of Songs, where poetic imagery comes to life with its refreshing sense of God's desire to join with all humanity. Guyon always writes of the pure love of God, like a human kiss, that leads to the fulfilling union with the divine. "The Complete Madame Guyon" also presents examples of her passionate poetry, some of which has never before been translated into English. Guyon expresses the range of feelings involved with living in a relationship with God and her ideas about the real involvement of the divine within the human heart. Nancy James's historical introduction explains the events of Guyon's life first as an aristocratic wife and mother of five, and later as a widow traveling around Europe as an author, who ended up incarcerated in the Bastille by the direct order of Louis XIV. Guyon suffered ten years of incarceration, along with accusations of heresy. Cleared of all of charges at the end of her life, in all of her writing Madame Guyon testified to the goodness and holiness of God.

"Thanks to Nancy James's scholarly labors, Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Mothe, more widely known as Madame Guyon (1648-1717) will hopefully become a household word, at least among students of mysticism. By no means an uncontroversial thinker, twice imprisoned for her allegedly heretical ideas, and defended by one bishop (Fenelon) and attacked by another (Bossuet), Madame Guyon's ideas, especially her concept of self-annihilation in the soul's union with God, will likely arouse challenge, even today. We owe Dr. James an enormous debt for her translation of Madame Guyon's works and popularization of her ideas. Through Dr. James's work we can gain insights into not only mystical theology but also seventeenth-century French secular and ecclesiastical politics."
-- Dr. Peter C. Phan, The Ignacio Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Theology Department, Georgetown University