262. Letter Dcclviii.
LETTER DCCLVIII.
T o Mr. D――.
Abergavenny, May 27, 1749.
My very dear Friend, YOUR kind letter I received at Bristol, but have not had time to answer it till now. You know what a moving life I lead. It is for one, who laid down his life for me. I want my last remove to come. Blessed be God for your recovery from your late indisposition. Many of God's people will have reason to be thankful on your behalf. I trust I am; and earnestly pray the Lord of all Lords, that as your day is, so your strength may be. I thank you for minding the poor widows, and the other poor tabernacle petitioners.
What an honour is put upon you! To be Christ's almoner is no mean office.
You shall be rewarded ere long before men and angels. Mrs. D―― shall share with you; and as you have been helpers of each others faith, so shall you be partakers of the same glory. May your latter end greatly increase, and may you be enabled to bring forth fruit even to a good old age! I hope good has been done at Bristol. We had three good seasons there. To-morrow
I set out on a three weeks circuit through Wales. I have been here these two days for a little retirement: it has been very sweet. On Thursday I saw Mr.
E―― I――, the dissenting minister I before spoke of, and found him very meanly apparelled. He is a most worthy man, and from his zeal for God some time ago, he sold fifteen pounds worth of his books to finish a small
Meeting-house in which he preaches. He has but three pounds per annum from the fund, and about as much from his people. He lives very low, but enjoys much of God, and hath as great understanding in the figurative parts of scripture as any one I know of in the world. He is a Zachary, and his wife an Elizabeth. Four or five guineas might be bestowed on them. What a scene will open at the great day! How many rich Priests will stand confounded, whilst the poor despised faithful Ministers of Christ shall enter, after all their tribulation, into the joy of their Lord. I tremble for the one, I rejoice in the foresight of the happiness of the other. May my latter end and future state (however I may be disposed of in the mean while) be like theirs! I know you will say, Amen. But what am I doing? I am robbing the poor of your time. Away to your work in the strength of God, and whilst you are feeding others, may the Lord Jesus feast your soul! My heartiest respects attend Mrs. D――. She always shares in the petitions put up for you by, my very dear Sir, Yours most affectionately in our common Lord,
G. W.