More bold in his conceptions than Cardinal Berulle and St.Vincent de Paul, of a nature more austere and at the same time more ardent, he had early devoted himself to the study of theology.
Connected in his youth with a Fleming, Jansen, known under the name of Jansenius and afterwards created Bishop of Ypres, he adopted with fervor the doctrines as to the grace of God which his friend had imbibed in the school of St.Augustin, and employing in the direction of souls that zealous ardor which makes conquerors, he set himself to work to regenerate the church by penance, sanctity, and sacrifice; God supreme, reigning over hearts subdued, that was his ultimate object, and he marched towards it without troubling himself about revolts and sufferings, certain that he would be triumphant with God and for Him.
[Illustration: The Abbot of St.Cyran----234] Victories gained over souls are from their very nature of a silent sort: but M.de St.Cyran was not content with them.

He wrote also, and his book "Petrus Aurelius," published under the veil of the anonymous, excited a great stir by its defence of the rights of the bishops against the monks, and even against the pope.

The Gallican bishops welcomed at that time with lively satisfaction, its eloquent pleadings in favor of their cause.

But, at a later period, the French clergy discovered in St.Cyran's book free-thinking concealed under dogmatic forms.

"In case of heresy any Christian may become judge," said Petrus Aurelius.