Bourignonists
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary [1]
the followers of the celebrated Mad. Antoinette Bourignon de la Ponte, a native of Flanders, born at Lisle, in 1616. She was so much deformed at her birth, that it was even debated whether she should not be stifled as a monster. As she grew up, however, this deformity greatly decreased, and she discovered a superior mind, a strong imagination, and very early indications of a devotional spirit, strongly tinctured with mysticism. She conceived herself to be divinely called, and set apart to revive the true spirit of Christianity that had been extinguished by theological animosities and debates. In her confession of faith, she professes her belief in the Scriptures, and in the divinity and atonement of Christ. The leading principles which pervade her productions are these:
that man is perfectly free to resist or receive divine grace; that God is ever unchangeable in love toward all his creatures, and does not inflict any arbitrary punishment, but that the evils they suffer are the natural consequences of sin; that true religion consists not in any outward forms of worship, nor systems of faith, but in immediate communion with the Deity, by internal feelings and impulses, and by a perfect acquiescence in his will.
This lady was educated in the Roman Catholic religion; but she declaimed equally against the corruptions of the church of Rome and those of the Reformed churches: hence she was opposed and persecuted by both Catholics and Protestants, and after being driven about from place to place, she died at Franeker, in 1680. She maintained that there ought to be a general toleration of all religions. Her notion on God's foreknowledge was, that God was capable of foreknowing all events, but, his power being equal to his knowledge, he purposely withheld from himself that knowledge in certain cases, that he might not interfere with the free agency and responsibility of his creatures. Her works are very numerous, making eighteen volumes in octavo: of which the principal are, "The Light of the World;" "The Testimony of Truth;" and "The Renovation of the Gospel Spirit;" which are much in esteem among the admirers of mystical theology.
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [2]
The followers of Antoinette Bourignon, a lady in France, who pretended to particular inspirations. She was born at Lisle in 1616. At her birth she was so deformed, that it was debated some days in the family whether it was not proper to stifle her as a monster; but, her deformity diminishing, she was spared: and afterwards obtained such a degree of beauty, that she had her admirers. From her childhood to her old age she had an extraordinary turn of mind. She set up for a reformer, and published a great number of books filled with very singular notions; the most remarkable of which are entitled. The Light of the World, and The Testimony of Truth. In her confession of faith, she professes her belief in the Scriptures, the divinity and atonement of Christ. She believed also that man is perfectly free to resist or receive divine grace; that God is ever unchangeable love towards all his creatures, and does not inflict any arbitrary punishment; but that the evils they suffer are the natural consequence of sin; that religion consists not in outward forms of worship nor systems of faith, but in an entire resignation to the will of God. She held many extravagant notions, among which, it is said, she asserted that Adam, before the fall, possessed the principles of both sexes; that in an ecstacy, God represented Adam to her mind in his original state; as also the beauty of the first world, and how he had drawn from it the chaos; and that every thing was bright, transparent, and darted forth life and ineffable glory with a number of other wild ideas. She dressed like a hermit, and travelled through France, Holland, England, and Scotland. She died at Fanekir, in the province of Frise, October 30, 1680. Her works have been printed in 18 vols. 8vo.
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [3]
the followers of a visionary in France called Antoinette Bourignon, who was born at Lille 1616, and died at Franeker 1680. She taught that man is perfectly free to resist or receive divine grace; that there is no such thing as foreknowledge or election; that God is ever unchangeable love toward all his creatures, and does not inflict any arbitrary punishment, but that the evils they suffer are the natural consequences of sin; that religion consists not in outward forms of worship nor systems of faith, but in an entire resignation to the will of God, and those inward feelings which arise from communion with God. She held many extravagant notions, such as the following: that Adam, before the fall, possessed the nature of both sexes; that, when she was in an ecstasy, God represented Adam to her mind in his original state; as also the beauty of the first world, and how he had drawn it from the chaos; and that every thing was bright, transparent, and darted forth life and ineffable glory; that Christ has a twofold manhood, one formed of Adam before the creation of Eve, and another taken from the Virgin Mary; that this human nature was corrupted with the principle of rebellion against God's will. Her works were collected and published under the title Toutes les oeuvres de Mlddle. A. Bourgnon (Amst. 1679-1684, 19 vols. 12mo), by her disciple Poiret, who also wrote her life (2 vols. 12mo, 1679). Many of her writings have been translated and published in England. She had more disciples in Scotland than in any other country, and in 1701 the General Assembly condemned her writings as "freighted with damnable doctrines." See Apology for M. Ant. Bourignon (Lond. 1699, 8vo); The Light of the World (Lond. 1696, 8vo); The Academy of Learned Divines (Lond. 1708, 8vo); Confusion of the Builders of Babel (Lond. 1708, 8vo). -Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. 3:480, 481; Stowell, Work of the Spirit, 268 sq; Landon, Eccl. Dict. ii, 359.
