“You entirely mistake the situation of others; none of us have our heaven here:  no, sin dwelleth in us; the very best have their ups and downs.  Do you think your friend is always on the mount? very far from it.  I am at times so cold, so dead, so stupid, that I can neither pray, read, nor hear.  I have begun the same chapter over and over, still trying to fix my thoughts, and as often they wander on every trifle; but my peace lies where you will soon learn to place yours, in the merits of my almighty Saviour.  My safety depends not on my frames, but his promise and when tossed and tempted, dead and lifeless, emptied of every good, perhaps buffeted like you with abominable thoughts, the fiery darts of Satan, casting all on Him, I am safe as when basking in the sunshine of his love, and tasting what you have tasted:  for you have tasted, and you shall yet taste the joys of his salvation.  I too have proved false to his covenant, have gone off with the world, and been intoxicated with its vanities and empty delights, and have laid up for myself seasons of deep remorse; my sins have often separated between my God and me, especially in my younger days; the Lord calls to watchfulness and diligence in the use of means, and he generally honors these means, of his own appointing, with his blessing.  When we either trust to these means, and fancy merit in them, or neglect to use them as his appointment, he generally makes us feel our error, but he does not cast us out of his family; he chastens us, and restores us.

“I write hastily, just to say that you have my sympathy and my love; for well I know, the almighty Lord alone can loose your bonds, and give you ‘joy and peace in believing.’  All my advice may be summed up in this—­trust in the Lord with all your heart; at least aim at this; I say, aim at it, for this too must be given you.  Roll yourself, your doubts, your fears, your sins, your duties, all on him:  say, ‘Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.’  He is an almighty Saviour to deliver sinners from sin as well as from punishment.  I leave you on the Father of mercies, and will, when the Lord enables, pray for you.

“Yours, etc.”

To the same.

“At last, my dear friend, the Lord appears; appears the Bible God—­’the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.’

“When was it that the Lord proclaimed this, and took unto himself this name?  After Israel, his chosen, had been guilty of that awful sin in the wilderness, of making the golden calf, and proclaiming, ‘These be thy gods, O Israel:’  David takes it up in the 103d Psalm, ’The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.’  Read on, my dear, then turn to the 130th.  This God is your God, and has long been your God; his work was upon your heart, though you could not discern it.  In bondage you have long been, but not a willing captive; unbelief kept you in bondage, long, long after your eyes were opened to see your bondage; and even to discern, in some feeble measure, your remedy.