_To Mrs. G――――._
_London, April 20, 1756._
_Dear Madam_,
IT hath given me concern, that I could not answer your kind letter till
now; but making a short excursion abroad, and fighting with a kind of
beasts at home, hath prevented me. I fancy that something we cannot
see is behind the curtain. Satan seems to have overshot himself. O
what a mercy is it, dear Madam, to be rescued from his slavery! Nothing
less than an Almighty arm could bring about such a great salvation.
Its depths, its lengths, its breadths, who can fathom? By being plunged
into the first, we stretch and rise into the two last. Our Saviour’s
death preceded his resurrection, and his resurrection that of his
glorious ascension into heaven.――So must we die, and rise, in order to
ascend hereafter where he is gone before. No matter if a sudden stroke
opens the passage: God grant I may be always ready! I hope that you,
dear Madam, and the other elect Ladies, have hearts given you to pray
for me. Hitherto the LORD hath helped me. I thank Mr. _S――――_ for
his hint. If occasion requires, I shall improve it. O for a steady
disinterested zeal for my GOD, my King, and my country! Welcome death,
when brought upon me in defence of these. As I expect to be called
away every moment, I can only add, after sending my most cordial and
grateful acknowledgments to the whole _Clifton_ court, that I am, dear
Madam,
Your most obliged and ready servant for CHRIST’s sake,
_G. W._