od courage, and all will be
well. You are very dear to me in our Lord.

STATE OF A SOUL IN UNION WITH GOD.

Although, in the latter part of my life, I do not perceive those marked
states of abandonment and submission, neither of interior sorrows, such
as I formerly experienced, this does not prove that these distinct
states no longer exist; but the soul having become more fully
established in God, it makes less account of them, or is less affected
by external impressions. As pure flowing water leaves no trace where
it passes, so these _distinct_ states leave no durable impression. The
soul seems to have lost its own qualities of resistance and aversion,
and runs, without ceasing into its Original. It is on this account I
cannot write so fully of my states of mind as formerly. My soul, in
its depths, rests in God. "My peace, says Christ, _I give unto you_."

I pray for the church; I mourn at times that God is so little known and
loved; but these feelings are transient, and the soul is ready to take
any impression that God gives it. While it seems to have no consistency
of its own, so to speak, it adapts itself to the state of others with
wonderful facility. Sometimes even relating amusing stories, to
children, and to those who cannot be entertained in any other way.

The soul, in this state of union with God, is sometimes permitted to
foretell things to come, which appear very obscure to man, but which
are, nevertheless, infallibly true, because proceeding from God. The
knowledge of the event, and its full explanation, will come in the
fulness of time. The soul is ready for anything; ready for nothing. All
that is true comes from God; what is not true, from the creature. The
soul does not seek to justify itself, nor produce humiliation, but
passes on, disregarding self, and absorbed in God.

STATE OF REST IN GOD.

If I do not reply to you, Dear Sir, as soon as you might expect, it is
because I hold myself in reserve, until I have a movement to write, and
not from any want of regard to you. Relative to the distinct,
voluntary acts of resignation, renouncement, it would be difficult, in
my present state, to make such acts, because such acts would seem to
imply something of self-appropriation still remaining; whereas, I have
given to my Sovereign, all that I am; and as far as I know, I have
nothing more to give him. My soul is at rest in his will.

It is the same in regard to prayer, or petitions