*

M. de Cort was twice successively divinely warned and threatened, to lend his property to some relations, who were endeavouring to drain an island which the sea had overflowed, in the country of Holstein, where he determined to prepare a retreat for the persecuted disciples of God. He sold a seat in this island to his spiritual mother, madame Bourignon, who, when she had published at Amsterdam her book entitled "The Light of the World," prepared to retire thither, in 1668. She also wrote, at Brabant, several treatises and epistles; and, after her persecution at Lisle, engaged in the disputes of the Jansenists and Molinists. She made a longer stay at Amsterdam, with her proselyte, than she had at first intended. She was here visited by all descriptions of persons, particularly by prophets and prophetesses the popularity of her discourses inspired her with sanguine hopes of effecting a reformation in this nation of traders; but, commerce prevailing, among this phlegmatic people, over spiritual motives, her expectations ended in disappointment. Her books and sermons were more numerous than her disciples; but even in Holland she was not without admirers. The celebrated Labadie, with his disciples, became

desirous of forming a community with Antoinette in Noordstrandt, the newly recovered island.

Labadie had offered to M. de Cort a large sum of money for the purchase of the whole island, but Antoinette prevailed on her proselyte to reject this proposal. Should you determine to accept it,' said she, 6 you must leave me behind you : because I perceive and know, that we can never agree together. Their opinions, and the spirit that governs them, are altogether contrary to my LIGHT, and the spirit that governs me.' She had a divine vision respecting M. Labadie, wherein she saw, in the spirit, a little man very busy, with a great pole in his hand, with which he strove to hinder the fall of a large building, or a church. that was falling. She was fully persuaded, from some conferences she had held with him, that this man had no other illumination than that of the learned of those times; reading, study, and barren speculation; and that he was in no respect enlightened by God, or directed by divine inspiration. She had formed a terrible idea of the principles of the Cartesians, who had the temerity to set up the light of reason as a guide. God, she affirmed, had shewn, and even expressly declared to her, that this error of Cartesianism was the

worst and the most accursed of all the heresies that were ever in the world; that it was a formal atheism, or rejection of God, in whose place corrupt reason was substituted. Every kind of philosophy she held in equal abhorrence, while she declared to the philosophers, that their malady proceeded from pretending to comprehend all things by the activity of the human intellect, without waiting for the divine illumination of faith, which requires the sacrifice of our reason and weak understandings, that God may diffuse in our minds his divine light: that, by the activity of corrupt reason, true knowledge is driven out of our souls: and that such reasoners are the real atheists and the contemners of God.

The conversations of madame Bourignon with God were very frequent at Amsterdam, where she had many visions and particular revelations; and where she also composed many books, which were but little read by the worldly-minded burghers. M. de Cort died the 12th of November, 1669, and left his spiritual directress heiress to his effects; an event which exposed her to more persecution than she had even suffered for her doctrines, and involved her in many law-suits. Being at the same time in ill health, and ill attended, she endured about this period great distress.

In 1671 she left Holland, with an intention to go to Noorstrandt. She stopped on her way at se-veral places in Holstein, where she found it necessary to dismiss some of her disciples, who from sinister motives had enlisted in her suité. She began to despair of collecting a flock of new Christian's, when she perceived, that every one appeared solicitous only for his own interest and convenience. Her pen grew now so prolific, and her productions so numerous, that she thought proper to provide herself with a printing-house, from which her works issued in different editions of French, Dutch, and German languages. Her tenets and her morals having been attacked by some writers, she vindicated herself in a performance entitled "The Testimony of Truth;" in which the clergy were treated somewhat severely. This was certainly not the way to remain at peace. Two lutheran ministers took up their pens, and entered the lists against her; declaring, that many persons had been beheaded and burned whose heresies were more tolerable than those of madame Bourignon. The Labadists also wrote against her, and her press was ordered to be

In December, 1673, she retired to Flensburg, where her enemies stirred up the people against

:

her she was accused of sorcery and witchcraft, and compelled privately to retreat: persecuted from town to town, she was at length obliged to

quit Holstein, and to take refuge in Hamburg, where her arrival was no sooner known, than endeavours were used to seize her. Having concealed herself for some days, she fled to East Friesland, where the baron of Lutsburg granted her his protection. The direction of an hospital was here given to her, to which she consecrated her industry and her cares. If she reserved her purse on this occasion, she gave for it two reasons, both of which, it must be allowed, are admirable: First, she alleged that her effects had already been dedicated to God, for the use of those persons who sincerely sought to be true Christians; and, secondly, that men and all things human were inconstant and not to be trusted. To this she added, that these poor people lived like beasts, who had no souls to save; and that she would rather throw her goods, which had been consecrated to Heaven, into the sea, than bestow on them the least mite. Her followers also adopted these prudent maxims. The people, who un drstood not these refinements, were disgusted by what they profanely called the sordid spirit of madame Bourignon: the authority of the baron