a religious sect, famous towards the close of the last century. They were so called from a kind of absolute rest and inaction, which they supposed the soul to be in when arrived at that state of perfection which they called the unitive life; in which state they imagined the soul wholly employed in contemplating its God, to whose influence it was entirely submissive; so that he could turn and drive it where and how he would. In this state, the soul no longer needs prayers, hymns, &c. being laid, as it were, in the bosom and between the arms of its God, in whom it is in a manner swallow-ed up.

Molinos, a Spanish priest, is the reputed author of Quietism; though the Illuminat in Spain had certainly taught something like it before. The sentiments of Molinos were contained in a book which he published at Rome in the year 1681, under the title of the Spi-ritual Guide; for which he was cast into prison in 1685, and where he publicly renounced the errors of which he was accused. This solemn recantation, however, was followed by a sentence of perpetual imprison-ment, and he died in prison in the year 1666. Molinos had numerous disciples in Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands. One of the principal patrons and propagators of Quietism in France was Marie Bouvières de la Mothe Guyon, a woman of fashion, remark-able for goodness of heart and regularity of manners; but of an unsettled temper, and subject to be drawn away by the seduction of a warm and unbridled fancy. She derived all ideas of religion from the feelings of her own heart, and described its nature to others as she felt it herself. Accordingly her religious sentiments made a great noise in the year 1687; and they were declared unsound, after accurate investigation, by several men of eminent piety and learning, and professedly con-futed, in the year 1697, by the celebrated Bossuet. Hence arose a controversy of greater moment between the prelate last mentioned and Fenelon archbishop of Cambrey, who seemed disposed to favour the system of Guyon, and who in 1697 published a book containing several of her tenets. Fenelon's book, by means of Bossuet, was condemned in the year 1699, by Innocent XII. and the sentence of condemnation was read by Fe-nelon himself at Cambrey, who exhorted the people to respect and obey the papal decree. Notwithstanding this seeming acquiescence, the archbishop persisted to the end of his days in the sentiments, which, in obedi-ence to the order of the pope, he retracted and condemn-ed in a public manner.

A sect similar to this had appeared at Mount Athos in Thessaly, near the end of the 14th century, called Hesychasts, meaning the same with Quietists. They were a branch of the mystics, or those more perfect monks, who, by long and intense contemplation, endeavoured to arrive at a tranquillity of mind free from every degree of tumult and perturbation. In conformity to an ancient opinion of their principal doctors (who thought there was a celestial light concealed in the deepest retirements of the mind), they used to sit every day, during a certain space of time, in a solitary corner, with their eyes eagerly and immovably fixed upon the middle regions of the belly, or navel; and boasted, that while they remained in this posture, they found, in ef-fect, a divine light beaming forth from their soul, which diffused through their hearts inexpressible sensations of pleasure and delight. To such as inquired what kind of light this was, they replied, by way of illustration, that it was the glory of God, the same celestial radiance that surrounded Christ during his transfiguration on the Mount. Barlaam, a monk of Calabria, from whom the Barlaamites derived their denomination, styled the monks who adhered to this institution Massalians and Euchites; and he gave them also the new name of Umbilicani. Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalon-i-ca, defended their cause against Barlaam, who was con-demned in a council held at Constantinople in the year 1341.—See Fenelon's Max. des Saints. The Mahometans seem to be no strangers to quietism. They expound a passage in the 17th chapter of the Koran, viz. "O thou soul which art at rest, return unto the Lord, &c." of a soul which, having, by pursuing the concatenation of natural causes, raised itself to the knowledge of that being which produced them and exists of necessity, rests fully contented, and acquiesces in the knowledge, &c. of him, and in the contemplation of his perfection.