“‘I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,’ was the exercise of Job; and justly so.  Job, who was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, a father to the poor, and the cause which he knew not he searched it out:  when the ear heard him, it blessed him; when the eye saw him, it gave witness to him; who withheld not the poor from his desire, nor caused the eye of the widow to fail; the stranger did not lodge in the street, but he opened his door unto the traveller:  all this was true as far as the external act, and as he then thought, with a proper temper of heart, Job could justify himself before his fellow-sinners, Blind like himself; but when God comes to deal with him, how different his views.  Then it was, ’Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?  I will lay my hand on my mouth:’  even with the very best there is cause for this exercise, could we see in the same light.

“How deceitful is the human heart; how unfaithful the conscience; how little do we know of the sins of our daily walk.  We are called to watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation; to walk with God in close, intimate communion:  whether we eat or drink, to do all to his glory:  to consult him in all the affairs of life, narrowly observing his providence in connection with our circumstances; weighing all in his presence, requesting him to determine our wills and direct our steps.  We ought not to say, ‘We will go into such a city,’ and do this or that; but, ‘If the Lord will.’  How inconsistent our conduct with these rules.  How often do rashness, precipitation, and self-will accompany our determinations and movements.  And how often do His goodness and wisdom over rule our folly, save us from our own pits, and prevent the evil that might be expected.  At no time does he deal with us as we sin, though sometimes he stands by and allows us a taste of our folly:  then we are in trouble, we dig our pits and fall into them, but we cannot deliver ourselves.  O what a God! who, even at such a time, says to us, ’Call on me in the time of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify my name; thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is Blessed help; mercy to pardon, goodness to wisdom to guide, faithfulness to carry through and perfect what concerns us, overruling our very follies, and causing them to teach us to profit.  This is God’s way, according to many declarations of himself in his word, and the experience of all his redeemed.

“Blessed then is the man that trusteth in the Lord; they truly are a blessed people whose God Jehovah is.”

“FEBRUARY, 1802.

“MY DEAR, MY BELOVED CHILDREN—­I trust the Lord is your support; I know you are in trouble; it cannot be that opportunities have been wanting all this time, nor can it be that my children have been negligent:  no, no, I cannot suppose it.  My children are in trouble; they could not write that they were otherwise, and therefore remain silent until they can write the issue.  It is proper,