trembling with dread, — it would be a greater to think that conversing with God is but weariness and bitterness. No, it is not so: " Her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness" (Wisd. viii. 16). Ask those souls who love Him with a true love, and they will tell thee that in the sorrows of their life they find no greater, no truer relief, than in a loving converse with God.
Now this does not require thee continually to apply thy mind to it, so as to forget all thy employments and recreations. It only requires of thee, without putting these aside, to act towards God as thou dost act on occasion towards those who love thee, and whom thou lovest.
Thy God is ever near thee, nay, within thee: " In Him we live, and move, and be" (Acts xvii. 28). There is no barrier at the door against any who desire to speak with Him, nay, God delights that thou shouldst treat with Him confidently. Treat with Him of thy business, thy plans, thy griefs, thy fears, — of all that concerns thee. Above all, do so (as I have said) with confidence, with open heart. For God is not wont to speak to the soul that speaks not to Him; forasmuch as, if she be not used to converse with Him, she would little understand His voice when He spoke to her. And this is what the Lord complains of: " Our sister is little: what shall we do to our sister in the day when she is to be spoken to?" (Cant. viii. 8.)
Our sister is but a child in My love; what shall we do to speak to her if she understand Me not? God will have Himself esteemed the Lord of surpassing power and terribleness, when we despise His grace; but, on the contrary, He will have Himself treated with as the most affectionate Friend, when we love Him; and to this end He would have us often speak with Him familiarly and without restraint.
It is true that God ought always to be revered in
