ts as our thoughts,' brought you
out of 'a fearful pit, and out of the miry clay; set your feet upon a
rock, and established your goings; put a new song into your mouth,
even praise unto our God.' Now you sing the 34th Psalm. I do rejoice
with my friend; I bless the Lord with her; let us exalt his name
together. It is establishing to my own soul. I have long prayed, and
long looked for this: I lived in the faith of it, assured that He who
had begun the good work, would perfect it in his own time.

"I cannot but regret your want of pastoral food; yet ought I to
regret any thing? The Lord himself is your Shepherd. My Bible lies on
my lap, and I had turned to the 34th Psalm, to know if it contained
what I would point out to you: on finishing the last verse, I
unconsciously turned my eye on the Bible; the words that met it were,
'I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go: I
will guide thee with mine eye.' Psa. 32:8. And so it shall be. Amen,
my God, Amen. Do as thou hast said.

"Perhaps, my friend, by this time your notes are lowered. It has
pleased the Lord to give you a strange sight: Mary Magdalene, a great
sinner at the feet of Jesus, pardoned, comforted, and highly honored
in after-life.

"This history, accompanied by the Spirit of God, has consoled,
strengthened, and raised up many bowed down since that day, many now
around the throne, who sing of pardoning love.

"I now wish to say, hold fast the beginning of your confidence.
Your experience is that of God's people. To rejoice in the Lord at all
times is your privilege, but will not be always your attainment. The
Lord has done great things for you, whereof I am glad; but, my dear
friend, the warfare is not over: you must endure trials as others;
engage with 'principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness in
high places,' and, worst of all, a treacherous heart within; which,
for all that it has seen and tasted, is yet corrupt and deceitful. The
new life which Christ gives to the soul, evidences itself in the
desires of the heart and affections. As certainly as the new-born babe
desires the breast, as certainly and as evidently does the new-born
soul desire union to God, communion with him, and conformity to him in
heart, life, and conversation. This principle is in its own nature
perfectly pure, but the old nature, the law in the spiritual members,
is as perfectly corrupt: 'in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.'