_To Lady H――――n._
_London, February 14, 1754._
_Honoured Madam_,
YOUR Ladyship’s kind letter came safe to hand.――I immediately sent
for Mr. _M――――_, delivered his, and saw it consumed. He hath the most
grateful sense of your Ladyship’s great benevolence. It is, as your
Ladyship suspects in relation to his wife; she is a _Zipporah_, a thorn
in the flesh. Ministers must expect such things. I hope your Ladyship
is enabled to bear with fortitude the scratches you must necessarily
meet with in this wide howling wilderness. You have a Beloved to lean
upon, who is mighty and willing to save. Blessed be his name, for
giving you a heart to retire from the pomps and vanities of a dreaming
and delusive world. Happy they, who can enjoy their GOD and themselves.
This only the true christian can do. Such a one I believe your Ladyship
to be.――My prayer to the LORD of all Lords in your Ladyship’s behalf,
is that you may grow in grace, and abound continually in every good
word and work. This is the only return I can make your Ladyship for the
regard and concern you have expressed for me, as an unworthy minister
of the Son of GOD. For his great name sake, I expect in a fortnight,
once more to launch into the great deep, with about ten or twelve poor
destitute orphans under my care. O my GOD, why am I thus honoured, to
be employed as a pilgrim for thee? I trust this is the language of my
heart,
A life that all things casts behind,
Springs forth obedient to thy call;
A heart that no desire can move,
But still t’adore, believe and love,
Give me, my LORD, my life, my all.
But whither am I going? Be pleased, honoured Madam, to excuse this
freedom; your Ladyship’s kind letter constrains me to write thus.
Honoured Madam, I thank you a thousand and a thousand times, for all
your kind offers of serving me, and the church of GOD. At present
(since you have so lately let the tabernacle have such an instance
of your regard) I have only to beg the continuance of your Ladyship’s
prayers, and to subscribe myself without dissimulation, honoured Madam,
Your Ladyship’s most dutiful, obliged, and
ready servant for the dear Redeemer’s sake,
_G. W._